Lanzhou used to be a key point connecting the central China and the western region as well as a vital city on the Silk Road.Today, Lanzhou is a hub of the Silk Road, with Maiji Caves to the east, Bingling Thousand Buddha Caves to the west, Labrang Monastery to the south and Dunhuang Mogao Caves to the north. With mountains in the south and north of the city and the Yellow River flowing from the east to the west, Lanzhou is a beautiful modern city with both the grand beauty of northern cities and the prettiness of southern cities.The Landscape along the Yellow River should not be missed, as Lanzhou is the only provincial city through which the Mother River runs. Whether you choose to roam along the River, to cross the First Bridge over the Yellow River, or to have a cup of eight auspicious teas at the Water mill Park, you will be impressed by Lanzhou with its harmonious combination of the modern and the old.The Bingling Temple is a series of grottoes filled with Buddhist sculpture carved into natural caves and caverns in a canyon along the Yellow River. It lies just north of where the Yellow River empties into the Liujiaxia Reservoir. The sculptures, carvings, and frescoes that remain are outstanding examples of Buddhist artwork and draw visitors from around the world.Labrang Monastery is one of the six great monasteries of the Geluk (Yellow Hat) school of Tibetan Buddhism. Labrang is located in Xiahe County in Gansu province, and also considered to be in the traditional Tibetan area of Amdo. Labrang Monastery is home to the largest number of monks outside of Tibet Autonomous Region.