Zhenyuan County 镇原县

Setting and landscape

The average elevation is 1,456 m. The highest point, 1,767 m, is Laoye Mountain (老爷山) at Sancha (三岔), and the lowest, 1,011 m, is on the Mao River (毛河) at Shangxiao (上肖). The mean temperature is 10.4°C, annual rainfall about 589 mm, and the frost-free season around 175 days.

History

The county government dates human settlement back to the Palaeolithic. The Han created Linjing County (临泾县) here; under the Yuan it became Zhenyuan Prefecture (镇原州) and under the Ming Zhenyuan County. It is the home town of Wang Fu (王符), the Eastern Han political writer whose Qianfu Lun (潜夫论, "Comments of a Recluse") criticised the government of his day, and of Hu Chonghua (胡充华), the Northern Wei empress dowager.

A stretch of the Warring States Qin wall enters the county from Ningxia at Wugou (武沟), 28 km northwest of the county town on the north bank of the Ru. At Baicaowa (白草洼) in Mengzhuang village the wall remains run for about six li (roughly 3 km), and a short stretch of the wall forms the boundary between Gansu and Ningxia.

What to see

Qianfu Mountain (潜夫山), on the north side of the county town, was once called Seven Pines Pavilion (七松亭) and is also known as Yuhuang Mountain (玉皇山) for its Jade Emperor temple. It takes its present name from Wang Fu, who is said to have lived here in seclusion writing the 36 essays of his book; the national 3A scenic area includes the Wang Fu Memorial Hall (王符纪念馆).

The Beishiku Station scenic area (北石窟驿景区) in Taiping (太平) stands where the Pu (蒲河) and Ru rivers meet, across the water from the Northern Grotto Temple (北石窟寺). Its western part reconstructs the old relay station of the Guanzhong–Longyou Silk Road, with a food street and sunken-courtyard (地坑院) guesthouses.

Food and local products

Apricots have been grown here for more than 2,000 years, and in December 2004 the State Forestry Administration named Zhenyuan a "home of the Chinese apricot". Liquorice apricots (甘草杏), osmanthus dried apricots (桂花杏脯) and apricot-skin tea (杏皮茶) are the best-known products. The traditional laoxi (镇原老席) banquet seats eight at a square table, two to a side; the twelve opening plates have liver and eggs at the centre, said to stand for "father's bone and mother's blood", and a calligraphy scroll must hang behind the table. The Ministry of Culture has named the county a home of Chinese folk art.

Highlights

• Qianfu Mountain 潜夫山: National 3A scenic area north of the county town where Wang Fu is said to have written his book.
• Warring States Qin wall at Wugou 武沟战国秦长城: A stretch of about six li at Baicaowa that forms the Gansu–Ningxia boundary.
• Beishiku Station scenic area 北石窟驿景区: Rebuilt Silk Road relay station at the meeting of the Pu and Ru rivers, facing the Northern Grotto Temple.
• Zhenyuan apricots 镇原红杏: Grown for over 2,000 years; the county was named a home of the Chinese apricot in 2004.
• Zhenyuan laoxi banquet 镇原老席: Eight-seat square-table banquet opening with twelve plates, liver and eggs at the centre.