Things to do in Yongdeng

Lanzhou Danxia Geological Park is fabulous. One of the top three things I have done on this tour. I used Trip.com to get out to the park and that was very easy. Shuttle buses are necessary to get between the various vantage points. I would come for longer next time and do the zip line. I got an 8am bus from Xiaoxihu Subway Station and it leaves the Park at 12pm to return back to the city.

The Shuimo Danxia Scenic Area is beautiful, featuring seven viewing platforms including Silk Road Glow, Nine-Colored Danxia, ​​and Danxia Summit View, as well as a 3,500-meter-long Danxia boardwalk. The entire scenic area is unshaded with strong ultraviolet radiation; please take precautions against sunburn.

Kushui Danxia, ​​a Danxia landform that looks like pork belly, do you want to come and see it? This Danxia landform has not been developed yet. It is called Kushui Danxia, ​​not the famous Zhangye Danxia. Kushui Danxia is located in Yongdeng County, Lanzhou. There is a large area between Kushui Town and Xinghua Village, Shuping Town. This area located in Kushui is currently undeveloped, with almost no tourists, and occasionally a few photographers come to take pictures.

Kushui Town is a town under the jurisdiction of Yongdeng County, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, China. It is named because the local water quality is slightly bitter, but it is more well-known for its unique natural scenery, cultural traditions and characteristic agriculture (especially rose planting). The following is a travel review and recommendation about Kushui Town for reference: ‌Highlights‌ ‌Rose Town‌ Kushui Town is an important rose planting base in northwest China. Every year from May to June, thousands of acres of roses bloom, forming a spectacular "rose sea". Local products such as rose essential oil, rose jam, and rose tea have also been derived. Visitors can participate in the picking experience or buy souvenirs. ‌Kushui Danxia‌ The town is distributed with typical Danxia landforms, with reddish-brown mountains and green vegetation complementing each other, suitable for hiking and photography enthusiasts to visit. ‌Intangible Cultural Heritage-Kushui Gaogaoqiao Kushui Gaogaoqiao is a national intangible cultural heritage project. Performers stand on wooden stilts more than 3 meters high and perform historical stories in traditional costumes. Performances are held every Spring Festival or major festivals, which are very folk. ‌Zhutuo Mountain Scenic Area‌ Located next to Kushui Town, Zhutuo Mountain is said to be related to the Qing Dynasty monk "Fengdian Monk". There are temples and statues on the mountain. You can overlook the Zhuanglang River and Danxia landscape when you climb to the top. ‌Travel Suggestions‌ ‌Best season‌: May-June (rose blooming period), or autumn (cool climate in September-October). ‌Must-experience‌: Visit the rose plantation and taste the rose banquet (rose cake, rose wine). Watch the Kushui stilt performance (need to check the festival time in advance). Hike the Danxia landform and take pictures of the natural scenery. ‌Transportation and Accommodation‌ ‌Transportation‌: From Lanzhou: drive for about 1.5 hours (70 kilometers), or take a bus from Lanzhou West Bus Station to Yongdeng County, and then transfer to a local vehicle. ‌Accommodation‌: The town is mainly composed of farmhouses and economic hotels. It is recommended to book in advance; you can also choose to return to Lanzhou city on the same day for accommodation. ‌Notes‌ There are many tourists during the rose blooming period. It is recommended to avoid the peak of holidays. Pay attention to sun protection and mosquito prevention in summer; keep warm in winter because the climate is cold and dry. Respect local customs and ask for permission before filming the stilt performance. ‌Summary‌ Kushui Town is a niche travel destination that combines natural wonders with folk culture, suitable for tourists who like rural scenery and cultural experience. Although the supporting facilities are not as complete as those in big cities, its original ecological simplicity and unique rose industry culture are still worth exploring. If you plan to go there, it is recommended to plan the itinerary in combination with Lanzhou City (such as Zhongshan Bridge, Gansu Provincial Museum) or surrounding attractions (such as Turugou National Forest Park) to enrich the travel experience.

Travel guide to Turugou National Forest Park, [Scenery] It is recommended to stay in the scenic area, the natural scenery is infinitely beautiful, [Value for money] Looking forward to your participation, there may be surprises when walking on the wooden plank road.

The Lu Tusi Yamen (Lu Chieftain's Office) is located in Liancheng Town, Yongdeng County, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province. It is the largest and best-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty Tusi manor, consisting of the Yamen, Miaoyin Temple, and the Tusi Garden. Construction of the complex began in the third year of the Hongwu reign (1370), covering an area of ​​33,000 square meters. It was listed as a fourth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units in 1996. The main buildings are modeled after the mansions of princes in Beijing, built according to the Ministry of Works style, with "thirty-six courtyards and seventy-two gates," earning it the nickname "Little Forbidden City of the West." The central axis features the main hall, Yanxi Hall, and Ancestral Hall. Miaoyin Temple on the west side preserves Ming dynasty Buddhist murals and brick carvings. The complex was formed after Tuohuan, a member of the Yuan dynasty imperial family, surrendered in the third year of the Hongwu reign and settled there. His grandson, Shijia, was granted the surname Lu for his meritorious service. The Lu Tusi system was hereditary, with 21 Tusi over 19 generations, governing approximately 9,000 square kilometers of the Gansu-Qinghai border for over 560 years. The existing buildings include an underground heating system and a complex drainage structure. During the reign of Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty, the fifteenth-generation Tusi (chieftain) Lu Jixun renovated the yamen (government office), which included a main hall for hearing cases and the Tusi's living quarters. The progenitor of the Liancheng Lu Tusi, Tuohuan, was a descendant of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, and a great-grandnephew of Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty. He was a member of the Yuan imperial family, enfeoffed as the Prince of Anding and concurrently serving as a Grand Councilor. In 1368 (the 28th year of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty), when Zhu Yuanzhang's army attacked Dadu (Beijing), Emperor Shun of Yuan fled. Tuohuan was unable to follow and wandered to Hexi. In 1370 (the 3rd year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty), Tuohuan surrendered to the Ming and was settled in Liancheng as the first Tusi. Because his wife, Lady Ma, had captured high-ranking officials, he governed Liancheng and built a seven-bay building. In 1412 (the 21st year of the Yongle era), because Tuohuan's grandson, the third-generation Tusi Shijia, had repeatedly distinguished himself in battle, he was promoted to Commander-in-Chief. Emperor Yongle bestowed upon Shijia the surname Lu and the name Lu Xian. The Lu Tusi (chieftain) system existed through the Ming, Qing, and Republican eras. From the first chieftain in 1370 to the abolition of the hereditary chieftain system in 1932, there were 21 chieftains across 19 generations. These chieftains held prominent positions and high ranks, with many rising to the rank of first-grade generals stationed in Northwest China due to their military achievements. The Lu Tusi were of Mongolian ethnicity and practiced Tibetan Buddhism. They were a powerful local regime in Northwest China, possessing military, judicial, and religious authority, with the power of life and death, and commanding over a thousand local soldiers. The Liancheng Lu Tusi ruled Yongdeng and the surrounding areas for over 560 years, significantly influencing local politics, culture, and religious beliefs.

Zhutuo Mountain is located in Kushui Town, Yongdeng County, Lanzhou City. It is a tourist attraction that integrates natural scenery and cultural landscape. There are towering temples, spectacular Danxia landforms and beautiful natural scenery on the mountain. It is named after the legend that a pig carried a Buddha statue up the mountain. The geographical environment here is unique, the mountains are steep, and the Danxia landform adds a bit of magnificence to it. When you stand at the foot of the mountain and look up, the mountains are undulating, and the red sandstone is like a burning flame under the reflection of the sun, showing a majestic and warm beauty. Self-driving: You can locate Zhutuo Mountain through navigation software, start from Lanzhou City, drive along the Beijing-Tibet Expressway, get off the expressway at the Kushui Town exit, and then follow the road signs to Zhutuo Mountain. Public transportation: Take a shuttle bus from Lanzhou City to Yongdeng County, transfer to a bus to Kushui Town in Yongdeng County, and then walk or take local transportation to Zhutuo Mountain.