A Brief Visit to Zhangye, Silk Road Town

I have a fascination with historical contact points between China and the West.  So, when I learned that a visiting scholar at our local university was from a town on the famous Silk Road, I was very intent on visiting her and her family on my next trip to China.

As it turned out, I had just a weekend to visit before the academic term started. The weather in early September was rainy and cold, and while visiting there my friend came down ill and spent some time in hospital.  But in spite of the difficulties, I was very happy to have made the trip.

Zhangye appears on many of the old maps that trace the old caravan route linking China with the rest of Asia.  Today it is an urban area of less than 300,000 but is located on the Hexi Corridor in one of the few fertile regions in Western China.

Among the activities of the two days in Zhangye, I was invited to talk to a private English school that offered a host of classes to more than 100 students on weekends.  As is often the case, I was encourage to accept a teaching job.  I had dinner with a fellow-Canadian who has been teaching in the area for many years, and much enjoys it.

Zhangye is located not far from the launch site for the Chinese Space Program.  It is also not so far from the western terminus of the Great Wall of China, and the famous caves at Dunhuang.  I have also visited farther west from here at other points on the Silk Road.  There is much fascinating history here. For all of these reasons, I may find reasons to revisit this area again.

I have more photos from my stay in Zhangye with more details included with the photo captions.
Zhangye (Gansu) Town on the Silk Road
http://www.canadiandragonfly.net/?p=3627/

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First published: 2009/12/20
Latest update: 2016/11/08