1. Scale model of old Jincheng
The model of Old Jincheng on the ground floor of the Lanzhou Museum is fascinating, although only two structures survive – the Baiyuanguan temple and the Baiyisi. In the photograph, the Zhongshan Bridge is now where the pontoon bridge is on the model. The Baiyuanguan is just outside the city wall on the right.
2. Lanzhou Museum
With the closure of the Gansu Provincial Museum for a decade, one might have expected the best of its collections to be rehoused here in the Lanzhou Museum which is located alongside one of the two remaining old structures in Lanzhou, the Ming Dynasty Bayi temple. Sadly, this would be too much of a breakthrough in terms of joined-up thinking.
Despite this, the Lanzhou Museum is worth a visit for popular China tours. The ground floor has a nice model of old Lanzhou and a phtographic record of the city in Qing times, including the water wheels (although no explanation in English), but upstairs there is a small gallery showing mainly the neolithic cultures found in the area. There is a display panel in English and Chinese for each of them (Majjiajao, Banshan and Hecheng) but the individual labels are in English. As always there are no maps which might encourage visitors to go out and find the source of these old cultures.
The remaining rooms are devoted to the Yellow River Painted Stones and two rooms on calligraphy and painting, which are really all just showrooms.
A good way to spend half an hour or so, even if you don't really get to learn much - a sad reality at most Chinese musuems to be honest.
3. Baiyi Si
I cannot find out much information about this small temple and its associated stupa behind. The temple is long out of use, and is presently used as a hall exhibiting calligraphy and various forms of archives: the walls are whitewashed and although it is elegant, it is a pity that its religious nature has disappeared.
Behind the temple building is the towering pagoda, now terribly hemmed in by towerblocks, including one that is a shocking pink colour. The museum buildings are described separately, but this complex is also home to the newly formed Lanzhou Cultural Heritage Bureau.
4. Baiyuanguan Temple
This is a wonderfully peaceful place, an ancient Taoist temple, still very much an active one with monks in residence. Although it lies at a busy junction, facing the Yellow River, silence seems to pervade this temple as soon as you set foot inside the gateway. The temple, like many in this part of China, is entered underneath a large opera stage. Currently, this structure and other buildings in the complex, are being restored, so it is a little difficult to get a feel for the scale of it. The carved stonework inside the gateway is impressive, and there are similar large circular carvings on the sides of several buildings inside the compound. It should be considered for your China vacation packages.
Although this temple is very old, it has been extensively renovated, and the Jade Emperor in the main Shrine Hall dates only from the year 2000. The Jade Emperor is the highest spirit in the heavens, and the master of all the emperors. To the right, in a recenly restored hall, are the three officials of heaven, water and earth, flanked by the sovereign Wenchang and the immortal known as Perfect Man Zi Yang. Although only created in 2004, they are very well executed, and a symbol of how well modern religious sculptures can be done in China.
With restoration being conducted in June 2006, it was notable that the wall restoration at several points was being conducted using very traditional techniques and materials, including missing plant matter into the plaster to increase adherence to the inner layers.
The monks at Baiyuanguan are particularly friendly and enjoy showing people around the temple. Also, in contrast to many Buddhist temples in China, the majority of the monks seemed to be young.
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