Lintan County 临潭县

Setting and landscape

The county is mostly high hill country, higher in the west than the east, at 2,209 to 3,926 metres with an average of 2,825 metres. The Tao River (洮河), the Yemu River (冶木河) and the Yangsha River (羊沙河) cross it, and the county government classes its climate as cold and dry highland. Around Yeliguan (冶力关), the land climbs from 2,219 metres on the Yemu River to 3,926 metres on Baishi Mountain (白石山) within a short distance.

History

Lintan's old name is Taozhou (洮州). In 631, under the Tang, Meixiang County was renamed Lintan, "beside the pool": the old geography Yuanhe Junxian Zhi (元和郡县志) records that the Tao River wrapped the town on three sides, as if it stood beside a pool. The Tang generals Li Sheng (李晟) and his son Li Su (李愬) came from here. Taozhou was a Ming guard (洮州卫) and a Qing subprefecture, became Lintan County in 1913 and joined Gannan in 1953. The county seat moved to present-day Chengguan town (城关镇) in 1952.

What to see

The Taozhou Guard City (洮州卫城) in Xincheng town (新城镇) was rebuilt from an older town as the Taozhou Guard seat after a 1379 revolt. Facing south with a river along its southern side and hills on the other three, its walls run for 5,430 metres; of its old gates only the southern Yingxun Gate (迎薰门) survives largely intact. It became a national key protected site in 2013 and was damaged that year in the Minxian–Zhangxian earthquake. Xincheng is listed as a Chinese historic and cultural town, and the Mogou (磨沟) Yangshao-culture site was named one of China's six major archaeological discoveries of 2008.

Yeliguan Tourism Area (冶力关旅游区) is a national 5A scenic area and national geopark combining highland lakes, forested gorges and Danxia landforms. Its sights include the lake Tianchi Yehai (天池冶海) and the Chibi Yougu valley (赤壁幽谷), and Lianhua Mountain (莲花山) nearby is a national nature reserve. On the north shore of Yehai stands the Changye Temple (常爷庙), which honours the early Ming general Chang Yuchun (常遇春). Yeliguan town keeps whitewashed houses with stepped gable walls, a legacy of settlers from the Yangtze–Huai region more than 600 years ago.

Customs and local food

Lintan is called the home of tug-of-war: the ten-thousand-person rope pull, more than 600 years old, and the Dragon God fair held at the Dragon Boat Festival are national intangible heritage. Taozhou embroidery (洮州刺绣) is another local craft. At the farm restaurants of Yeliguan, visitors drink tea from lidded bowls with dressed wild greens and stir-fried chicken.

Highlights

• Taozhou Guard City 洮州卫城: Ming guard city of 1379 at Xincheng, a national key protected site since 2013.
• Yeliguan Tourism Area 冶力关旅游区: National 5A scenic area and geopark with Tianchi Yehai lake and Danxia landforms.
• Changye Temple 常爷庙: Temple to the Ming general Chang Yuchun on the north shore of Yehai.
• Ten-thousand-person tug-of-war 万人拔河: Rope-pulling custom of more than 600 years, listed as national intangible heritage.