Longnan Travel Guide

Chinese Name: 陇南市 (lǒng nán shì)
Population: 2,881,600
Area: 27,900 square kilometers (10,772 square miles)
Location: in the southeast of Gansu Province, northwestern China
Administrative Division: 1 district (Wudu); 8 counties (Chengxian, Tanchang, Kangxian, Wenxian, Xihe, Lixian, Liangdang, Huixian)
Area Code: 0939
Zip Code: 746000
GDP (2018): CNY 37.92 billion (USD 61.46 billion)
Nationalities: Han, Hui, Tibetan, Mongolian
 

Longnan City is situated in the southeast of Gansu Province, neighboring Shaanxi Province to the east and Sichuan Province to the south. Within Gansu, the city borders Tianshui to the north and Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to the west. Longnan is one of the main producing areas of Chinese herbal medicine and the largest olive tree planting base in China. The complex terrains featuring lofty mountains, river valleys, hills and basins and pleasing climate give Longnan special landscapes combining the grand and magnificent pictures in the northern areas with green and beautiful views in southern China.

Yinping Heaven Lake (Tian Chi): one of the three great pools in China named for their other worldly beauty, this lake is like an emerald inlaid among mountains.

Wanxiang cave: the largest limestone cave in Northwest China.

Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve: the only land in Gansu with a northern subtropical eco system and a beautiful natural landscape.

Other Scenic Spots: Three Beaches (Santan) Scenic Area.

1. There are few regular transport links. Because of the sometimes difficult road conditions, off-road vehicles or buses with high chassis are the best means of transportation. Wenxian County of Longnan is only 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Jiuzhaigou.

2. Longnan is an important passage between Gansu and Sichuan, and the city's railway station is also a vital passenger and freight transportation hub. The railway station is in Jialing Town of Huixian County on the right bank of the Jialing River. Longnan Wudu Bus Station is located in Panxuan Lu.

Longnan enjoys a monsoon climate. Affected by its geographic features, the climate in different regions varies greatly. From the southeast to the northwest, there is a subtropical humid climate, warm temperate humid climate, temperate semi-humid climate and alpine and humid climate. The span of annual average temperatures extends 10C (50F), from 5C to 15C (41F to 59F).

 When to Go: Summer and autumn are the best seasons to visit there.

 History: The history can be traced back to distant ages. By the time of the Zhou Dynasty (11th Century BC-221BC), Longnan had become the cradle of the Qin State which developed into the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), the unifier of the whole country after the Warring States Period (476BC-221BC). Wudu Special District was established in 1949, changed to Longnan Region in 1985 and promoted to being a regional city in 2004.

 Physical Features: It lies in the transition area of China's steppes with the Southern Gansu Plateau in the west, Sichuan Basin in the south, Qinling Mountains and Hanzhong Basin in the east, as well as the Loess Plateau in the north. The terrain of Longnan is higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast. High mountains and deep valleys interweave with hills and basins, forming the unique and complex landform of this region.

 Special Local Products: olives, tea, gingko tea, wild pepper, Langya honey, toadstools, monkey head mushrooms, gingko, herbs

 Local Highlights:
Every year, Longnan holds many tourist and cultural festivals, such as a peach blossom festival in April, tea picking festival around the Qingming Festival, as well as tourist festivals in Qianba Grassland and Wanxiang Cave.

There is an old branch of Tibetans, the Baima Tibetans, living in Tielou Tibetan Township three kilometers (1.9 miles) west of Wenxian County. The Baima Tibetans are renowned for their singing and dancing. They lead simple lives, inhabiting traditional houses, wearing beautiful costumes and following their own folkways. They shepherd, keep bees, grow hemp and weave cloth for a living. In July, there is a tourist festival held there to show the unique way of life of Baima Tibetans.