Liancheng Travel Guide

The Lutusi Ancient Government Centre is currently being restored by cultural heritage conservation specialists from the Gansu Cultural Heritage Bureau. It is always open but at any one time certain buildings may be closed during the restoration. I am finding out more about this old complex, which seems to have been a palace for a local Mongolian warlord, vassal of the Chinese imperial dynasties. The obvious explanation is that the local warlords, often Mongolian and often Muslim, acted as a buffer against the unfriendly Tibetan tribes on the Qinghai and Tibetan plateaux.
During the Cultural Revolution part of the complex was used as the main school for Liancheng, but this has now moved out. The authorities are specifically preserving a large wall mural praising Chairman Mao. But for the rest of the complex, one half secular palace and government offices, one half Tibetan lamasery is always peaceful. It may be possible to see some awesome frescos in one of the smaller temple buildings that line an incredibly narrow corridor around the building. However, as it is almost impossible to properly protect them in such a narrow space, the Cultural Heritage Bureau is considering closing them off permanently except for researchers.

Some 15km north of Liancheng along the Datonghe valley is the Tulugou National Forest Park. The entrance is signposted at a bridge where the valley narrow to a real gorge. The forest park actually starts straight away, although the main visitor centre - using the term in it loosest sense - is some kilometres up the valley, where two valleys meet. This point really cannot be missed as there is a huge, grim concrete hotel in the most beautiful part of the valley. Surrounding it is all manner of somewhat dejected looking buildings, structures and collections of wiring, fencing, furniture, paving and other odd street furniture. It has all been carefully positioned so that man's inability to leave nature alone in evident in any photograph taken in any direction.

The valley to the south-west apparently continues for 10km, and winds wildly through a deep gorge over at least the first kilometre. The slopes are thickly wooded with a mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees. The Chinese love of grotesque rocks is in evidence here, and these are considered a much more important feature of the park than the overall landscape or the trees and plants.
Eighteen spots have been listed, and I do mean listed: there really is no information available about where they are or even the history of the names: Yingbinshi (Greeting Lion), Shanlong Xishi (Cedar Dragon Playing on the Rock), Yougu Qing Yin (Musical Sounds Coming from the Deep Secluded Valley), Mileshi (Rock looking like Maitreya Buddha), Tong Tian Meng (Gate Leading to Heaven).