10 Days in Tianshui

Full day on the 142-metre hill — 221 caves, more than 10,000 clay sculptures from around 384-417 onward, spiralling walkways and the 15-metre eastern Buddha. Timed entry, booked ahead.

1. tianshui maijishan grottoes

The temple-stacked ledges and natural rock bridges about 15 kilometres toward town, with the Jingtu grounds in the same hills — gentler walking than day one.

1. tianshui xianren ya
2. tianshui jingtu temple

East into the forest park behind the Maiji hills — twin peaks pinching a narrow gate, stone steps and stream paths, cool even in summer. A picnic lunch travels well here.

1. tianshui shimen mountain

The Fuxi Temple of 1483-1484 with the museum galleries next door, then the late-1500s Hu compounds — the south house kept as the folk museum.

1. Fuxing Temple (Fuxi Temple)
2. tianshui hushi residences

The 13th-century guan on the north slope, Nanguo's hill of Du Fu's 759 poems and the ancient cypress, and the West Gate lanes at dusk.

1. tianshui yuquan guan
2. tianshui nanguo temple
3. tianshui xiguan old town

Labelled county day — about 40 minutes west by rail to the Shuiliandou gorge and the Lashao relief of 559, its main cliff Buddha around 40 metres tall.

1. tianshui shuiliandong

Also labelled — the half-hour ride to Gangu climbs past temple terraces to the 23-metre Tang cliff Buddha of Daxiang mountain.

1. tianshui daxiang mountain

North to Qin'an — labelled — for the near-8,000-year-old village floors and pottery of Dadiwan, with the site museum alongside. Overnight in Qin'an or back by the evening train.

1. tianshui dadiwan site

Honestly labelled cross-city day — Kongtong rises under Pingliang, reached by morning bus or rail-and-road in roughly three hours. Forested ridges, cliff temples and the main height near 2,123 metres; return late or overnight in Pingliang.

1. pingliang kongtong mountain

A last old-town morning — guagua breakfast, vinegar and apple purchases (the Huaniu apple ships well from autumn onward) — then the HSR platform, with Lanzhou west or Xi'an east each about 1.5 hours.

1. tianshui xiguan old town