GUIDE TO LAN-CHOU

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01018A000900090001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 29
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 27, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 1, 1966
• Content Type: REPORT

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FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
GEOGRAPHIC SUPPORT PROJECT
GUIDE TO LAN-CHOU
CIA/ I GS 66-21
March 1966
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Basic Intelligence
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
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CONTENTS
I. General Description
II. Places of Interest
A. Industrial Installations
Page
1
4
4
1. Lan-chou Petroleum Refinery
4
2. Lan-chou Chemical Works ?
?
?
4
3. Lan-chou Petroleum Machinery Plant
4
4. Lan-chou Woolen Textile Mill and Lan-chou
Cotton Textile Mill
5
5. Tung-yung Machine Plant
5
6, Mining Machinery Plant
5
7, Agricultural Machinery Plant
6
8. Aluminum Factory
6
9. Lan-chou Power and Heat Plant
6
10. Hydroelectric Stations
6
11. A-kan-chen Coal Mine
6
12. Gaseous Diffusion Plant
7
13. Lan-chou Cement Plant
7
14. Lan-chou Waterworks
7
15. Tao River Water Conservancy Project
16. Railroad Repair and Maintenance Shops
8
17. Other Installations
8
B.
Cultural Institutions
8
1. Lan-chou University
8
2. Northwest China Institute of National Minorities
.
8
3. Academy of Sciences
8
4. Lan-chou Geophysical Observatory *
?
?
9
5. Medical Academy and Hospitals
9
6. Petroleum School
9
7. Veterinary School
10
C.
Sites of Cultural Interest
10
1. Habitats of Non-Chinese Peoples
10
2. Great Wall . ? . .... ..........
10
3. "Green Wall"
11
4. Buddhist Shrines
11
5. Stone-Age Relics
11
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Photographs
(following page 11)
Figure 1. View of Lan-chou from hills just south of city
Figure 2. Railroad bridge over Yellow River
Figure 3. New construction in Lan-chou
Figure 4. Residential section of Lan-chou
Figure 5. Railroad yard in Lan-chou
Figure 6. Road bridge over Yellow River
Figure 7. Petroleum refinery at Hsi-ku, in western suburbs of Lan-chou
Figure 8. Lan-chou chemical plant in Hsi-ku
Figure 9. Lan-chou power and heat plant
Figure 10. A-ka-chen coal mine a few miles south of Lan-chou
Figure 11. Cement plant at Yung-teng
Figure 12. Small machine shop in Lan-chou
Figure 13. Northwest China Institute of National Minorities, in southern
Lan-chou
Figure 14. Yen-kuo hydroelectric site
Figure 15. Cave temples near Lin-hsia
Maps
(following page 11)
52877 Lan-chou and Vicinity
53177 Kansu Province
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GUIDE TO LAN-CHOU
I. General Description
See Maps 52877 and 53177
Lan-chou is the most important commercial and industrial city in
Northwest China and one of the fastest growing cities in Communist China.
It is the capital of Kansu Province and the seat of a number of govern-
mental and educational institutions that serve the province and West
China. The population has increased from about 150,000 in 1946 to an
estimated 1,000,000 or more today. Most of this growth has occurred
since the 1949 advent to power by the Chinese Communists. Formerly,
Lan-chou was a sleepy desert city located about 400 miles west of the
nearest railroad and was the jumping-off place for caravans traveling
into West China or Central Asia. Today it is a bustling metropolitan
area that occupies nearly all of the flat land along this stretch of the
Yellow River -- land that was formerly in farmland and orchards. This
population growth and accompanying industrial expansion were spurred by
the linking of Lan-chou by rail with East China in 1952. Since that
time, the importance of the city as an administrative, industrial, and
transportation center has continued to increase.
Lan-chou is located at an elevation of about 5,000 feet above sea
level on a flat plain 1 to 3 miles wide that extends for more than 20
miles along the upper Yellow River (see Figure 1). Barren eroded hills
rise sharply above the plain and the river on both north and south.
Summits to the north reach about 6,000 to 7,000 feet; hills to the south
are lower but merge with the higher, more rugged terrain of the Kao-lan
Shan that reaches elevations of about 10,000 feet. Grains, vegetables,
and fruit are raised on some of the lower terraced slopes adjacent to
Lan-chou, as well as on the few parts of the plain that have not yet
been absorbed by encroaching urban construction.
Although located at about the geographic center of China, Lan-chou
has traditionally been considered the frontier -- the last stop within
civilization before stepping off toward the sparsely populated, formerly
bandit-ridden western regions. Lan-chou has served as the frontier
trading center for the vast interior hinterland, which is inhabited
primarily by non-Chinese peoples. Since 1949 a movement has been under-
way to develop industries in the interior of China, away from the east
coast. Lan-chou was logically one of the centers selected for such
development because of its strategic location with respect to trans-
portation routes. Nearly all transportation from or to West China
funnels through Lan-chou, which thus controls to some extent just about
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everything that arrives in the northwest. Before the arrival of the
railroad in Lan-chou in 1952, most traffic used the highway. Today
almost all traffic uses the railroad (see Figure 2).
Extensive changes in Lan-chou began not long after the arrival of
the railroad. The city remained the frontier but was now the jumping-off
place for railroad construction crews, geological and water conservancy
survey teams, and economic planners. China began to consolidate control
of the western half of the country, and as the railroad inched its way
westward into Sinkiang, Lan-chou became more and more important as the
gateway to the west. Today the main railroad link with West China is
via Lan-chou, although a bypass a few miles to the north has been com-
pleted.
The discovery and development of petroleum resources in the west have
provided an additional important stimulus for the growth of Lan-chou. The
oilfields at Yu-men in western Kansu were already under exploitation in
1949, but new discoveries of oil were later made at Karamai in western
Sinkiang and in the Tsaidam Basin in Tsinghai. In addition, geologic
exploration indicated that other areas in West China could yield new
deposits. A logical location for a large refinery to process this crude
oil was Lan-chou, since all of the oil, in either crude or refined form,
would have to transit Lan-chou on its way back to the east.
Electric power potential in the vicinity of Lan-chou is considerable.
The upper Yellow River has tremendous potential for hydroelectric devel-
opment, and two projects -- the Liu-chia and Yen-kuo -- that have been
under construction for a number of years were part of the early multi-
purpose plans for development of the Yellow River. Lan-chou also has
abundant nearby sources of coal for thermal electric power.
Lan-chou is a likely place for the location of sites for the devel-
opment of atomic energy and nuclear weapons. It is inland from the coast,
reportedly convenient to sources of uranium and other raw materials to be
used in production of fissionable materials, and has good transportation
facilities, abundant water resources, and electric power potential. A
gaseous diffusion plant is reported to be in the Lan-chou region, probably
in the western industrial suburbs along the river.
The city has grown at a phenomenal pace. Before the arrival of the
railroad, most of the city was confined inside ancient walls, 30 feet
thick and about as high, on the southern bank of the Yellow River and was
connected with the northern bank by a steel truss bridge constructed in
1909. Some expansion of the urban area had already taken place outside
the old walls, but most of the surrounding plain was in cultivated crops
and orchards. Today the old city walls have practically disappeared and
the city has expanded in every direction until it occupies nearly all of
the level land along the river. Industrial growth has been mainly to the
west of the old town, along both the northern and southern banks of the
river.
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The urbanized area of Lan-chou has four major sections. The first
is the old city, enclosed by walls that have been pierced in places to
permit the construction of new buildings and wider streets that stretch
east, west, and south toward the newer parts of the city (see Figure 3).
The old walled city is compact, crowded, and crisscrossed by numerous
narrow streets and alleys. Although primarily residential and commercial,
this section may still house some government offices (see Figure 4).
South and east of the old walled city, where the plain widens, is a
rapidly growing section devoted principally to educational and cultural
institutions, residential and commercial housing, government agencies,
and light industry. The street pattern in this and most other new parts
of Lan-chou is less dense and is characterized by a number of broad,
multilaned roads. The Lan-chou - Sinkiang Railroad skirts the southern
edge of this area, and the main passenger station is located here. The
Lan-chou Hotel, which probably accommodates most foreign visitors, is
about a mile north of the station on a large traffic circle across from
Lan-chou University. The Lan-chou Airfield is in the eastern part of
this sector, adjacent to a large military area.
The main industrial section of Lan-chou is at Hsi-ku-chteng (also
known as Hsi-ku), near the western end of the urbanized area, about 12
miles from the center of the old city. The principal large industrial
plants here are located on a fairly large flat plain on the southern bank
of the Yellow River. They include the Lan-chou petroleum refinery, the
Lan-chou power and heat plant, and a chemical plant. Hsi-ku also has
large residential areas for industrial workers. Both east and west of
Hsi-ku the plain narrows considerably, then widens again. Industrial
installations are located discontinuously all along the plain, together
with residential buildings for the workers. The largest industrial
development outside Hsi-ku is near the west freight station and yards,
about a mile west of the old walled city (see Figure 5).
The fourth urbanized section of Lan-chou is north of the river,
directly across from the old city and extending a few miles upstream and
downstream where the plain widens a bit (see Figure 6). Most of this
area was formerly in agriculture, and it probably still contains more
cultivated land than any other section in the urban area.
The rapid expansion of Lan-chou from an inland transportation center
with a few light industries to an important industrial center has been
widely publicized both within and outside Communist China. Although
Lan-chou is not a tourist attraction in the ordinary sense, it appeals
to a wide range of interests. Even a casual visitor might find the con-
struction projects of Lan-chou interesting, and travelers with backgrounds
in city planning, industrial engineering, or related fields would un-
doubtedly be interested in the current expansion and in the plans for
future development. For travelers whose interests lie in the fields of
ethnology and archeology, Lan-chou is a logical place to begin trips to
points of interest in the general vicinity.
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II. Places of Interest
A. Industrial Installations
1. Lan-chou Petroleum Refinery
The Lan-chou petroleum refinery at Hsi-ku has the largest
operating capacity of any refinery in Communist China (see Figure 7).
The refinery is just off the main railroad and is served by a loop spur
line which connects with a small rail net inside the complex. It began
operations on a partial basis in 1958 and has been widely publicized in
the Chinese Communist press. The refinery was designed so that it can
be expanded with relative ease. Its wide variety of petroleum products
include gasoline, kerosene, heavy oil, lubricating oil, and coal tar.
The crude oil from Yu-men, which is refined at Lan-chou, is reportedly
suitable for making high-grade aviation gasoline and lubricants.
Travelers with an interest in petroleum and refineries would have a
plausible reason to travel to this plant, especia.31y since it has received
so much publicity in the past few years. Even casual tourists would be
interested in visiting the installation, and as the refinery is the
iRrgest and most modern in China: the Chinese may well be anxious to show
it off.
2. Lan-chou Chemical Works
A large complex of chemical works also is in Hsi-ku (see
Figure 8). It was constructed with Soviet aid and probably went into
partial operation about 1959. It includes chemical fertilizer plants
manufacturing synthetic ammonia, nitric acid, and ammonium nitrate. Also
known to be in the Lan-chou urban area and possibly located in the same
complex with the chemical plant are a synthetic rubber plant, a chemical
industry equipment plant, and a caustic soda plant. The synthetic rubber
is made from alcohol, which is a product of waste gas from the Lan-chou
petroleum refinery. Plastics and oil-proof rubber are also produced at
the synthetic rubber plant. Another smaller chemical plant is reportedly
located on the north bank of the Yellow River near the old city.
Although the Lan-chou chemical works has been less widely publicized
than the petroleum refinery, it has received some acclaim and would be an
attraction not only for engineers and specialists in the chemical field
but also for general tourists. Agricultural specialists would be inter-
ested in the operations of the chemical fertilizer plant.
3. Lan-chou Petroleum Machinery Plant
In 1957 construction began on a plant that produces modern jet
drills and other equipment for drilling oil wells. It is probably located
near the petroleum refinery. The plant was built with the assistance of
Soviet technicians and is equipped with Soviet-made machinery.
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Petroleum engineers and other persons with a background in the petro-
leum industry would find this plant of interest for the opportunity it
would afford to study Chinese drilling and pumping techniques.
4. Lan-chou Woolen Textile Mill and Lan-chou Cotton Textile Mill
These new plants, probably located in the western suburbs, are
different from the Northwest Woolen Spinning Mill constructed during World
War II and the cotton textile plant constructed in 1878. Construction of
the woolen textile mill began in 1957, and the mill went into production
within a couple of years after that date. In 1965 it was expanded to
include new combing, spinning, weaving, and dyeing shops. An abundant
supply of wool is available in Kansu and adjacent provinces -- wool that
was formerly shipped to coastal provinces for processing along with
additional amounts of imported wool.
Little is known of the cotton textile plant other than that it uses
locally grown cotton. It was also reportedly associated with the Academy
of Sciences in experimenting with mixing fibers and with substituting
fibers of native plants for cotton. One of the substitute fibers was
obtained from lopuma, a desert shrub of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae).
Lopuma thrives under arid conditions and conceivably could be grown in
marginal lands not now in use, thus freeing the better land now in cotton
cultivation for the growing of food crops.
Persons with a knowledge of the textile industry would be interested
in these mills, particularly the woolen mill. Anyone with a background
in animal husbandry might also be interested in the woolen mill because
of attempts there to improve the quality of the wool clip. Textile
technicians, agricultural scientists, and economic botanists might be
interested in the results of experiments conducted with various fibers.
5. Tung-yung Machine Plant
This plant was reported to be under construction in 1957, but
the location is unknown. It was to accommodate a machine shop, an assembly
shop, a heat treating shop, an electroplating shop, a repair shop, a
metallic structure shop, a machine tool shop, and a material control room.
Equipment was to consist of several hundred large machines made in Com-
munist China, the Soviet Union, East Germany, and Hungary. The plant
reportedly manufactured a cement-mixing truck among its products, but
details on its operations are not available.
6. Mining Machinery Plant
This plant also was reported to be under construction in 1957,
and although the exact location is unknown, it is probably in the Hsi-ku
area. Five main workshops were to be completed by 1958, and the plant was
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to have a separate power generating plant and sewage disposal plant. It
was to produce drilling equipment and machines, ore and rock crushers,
diesel engines, steel drill bits, and machinery to be used for geologic
prospecting.
7. Agricultural Machinery Plant
Little is known of this plant, but it has been mentioned in
the press. It probably produces small agricultural implements and repairs
agricultural machinery.
8. Aluminum Factory
This plant is probably located on or near the banks of the
Yellow River in the Hai-ku area. It was reported to have begun production
in 1959.
9. Lan-chou Power and Heat Plant
The thermal powerplant is in the Hai-ku area and was reported
to be under construction in 1956 (see Figure 9). It began production
about 1958. Original plans called for a capacity of 425,000 kilowatts
when completed, but the present capacity is probably much less. This
powerplant provides the largest share of electric power for the Lan-chou
area, but another older thermal plant in Lan-chou has a capacity of about
14,000 kilowatts.
10. Hydroelectric Stations
The Liu-chia and Yen-kuo hydroelectric stations, part of the
overall Yellow River project, are currently under construction in gorges
of the Yellow River about 50 miles southwest of Lan-chou. Both projects
are well along in construction, with Yen-kuo further advanced than Liu-chia
(see Figure 14). When completed, they will provide abundant power to the
Lan-chou area. A road connects the two project sites with Lan-chou.
Casual tourists, as well as engineers, geologists, and others with
professional interest in the construction and operation of hydroelectric
stations, would be interested in a visit to these two projects.
11. A-kan-chen Coal Mine
This large coal mine is a few miles south of Lan-chou and is
connected to the city by a railroad spur line (see Figure 10). The mine
supplies most of the coal for industrial establishments in Lan-chou and
would provide a visitor with a look at current operating procedures in
a coal mine in China.
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12. Gaseous Diffusion Plant
A gaseous diffusion plant for the production of fissionable
material to be used in the atomic energy development program is reportedly
located in the Lan-chou area, probably in the western suburbs. It is a
large installation and reportedly has one very large rectangular building,
1,900 by 150 feet in size. It also must have some kind of water treatment
facilities and a power substation. The installation is probably very
closely guarded and not accessible for visits by outsiders.
13. Lan-chou Cement Plant
A few sources mention a cement plant in Lan-chou, but its
location cannot be verified. The installation often referred to as the
"Lan-chou Cement Plant" is the Yung-teng Cement Plant at Yung-teng
(36?44'N 103?24'E), which is about 50 air miles northwest of Lan-chou
on the Lan-chou - Sinkiang Railroad (see Figure 11). Construction of the
plant, which was designed and equipped by East German technicians, was
started in 1954. At this time the plant was publicized as the largest
in the northwest. In early 1957 work on the powerline to the plant from
the Lan-chou thermal powerplant was underway.
Visits to this plant from Lan-chou would require travel by railroad,
which would afford an opportunity for a visitor to see the industrial
development in the western outskirts of Lan-chou.
14. Lan-chou Waterworks
The new Lan-chou waterworks is the largest in all Asia accord-
ing to Communist Chinese reports. It is in Hsi-ku, near the Yellow River,
from which it receives its water.
15. T'ao River Water Conservancy Project
This is an ambitious scheme to irrigate the semiarid agricul-
tural lands of southeastern Kansu by diverting water from the T'ao River,
a major Yellow River tributary upstream from Lan-chou. The canal begins
near Min-hsien, about 100 miles due south of Lan-chou. The project
received much publicity in the Chinese press a few years ago, but little
has been heard about its success or present status. The road from Lan-chou
up the T'ao River to Min-hsien would facilitate travel to the head of the
canal.
A visit to this project would be interesting for almost any visitor,
but particularly for engineers, soil scientists, and agriculturists.
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16. Railroad Repair and Maintenance Shops
Large facilities for repairing and maintaining railroad
equipment are located in Lan-chou, probably west of the old walled city.
17. Other Installations
Numerous installations associated with processing food or
manufacturing consumer goods are known to be located in Lan-chou (see
Figure 12). They range from flour mills to glassworks, brickyards,
vehicle repair shops, a paper mill, and manufacturing plants for thermos
bottles, chinaware, and other small products.
B. Cultural Institutions
1. Lan-chou University
Lan-chou University, founded in 1946, is in the eastern
suburbs on a major traffic circle adjacent to the Lan-chou Hotel and the
Academy of Sciences. Instruction is offered in biology, chemistry,
economics, geography, history, literature, mathematics, and physics.
Growth in the university has been steady, but current enrollment figures
are not available. In 1958 a visitor was told that the enrollment was
2,300 and the faculty numbered 700. This is the elite school in the
region, although smaller schools also reportedly operate in Lan-chou.
Almost any individual with an academic background would be interested
in a visit to Lan-chou University, especially a professional educator or
someone with training in one of the courses of study offered at the
university.
2. Northwest China Institute of National Minorities
The institute, which is located south of the old city at the
base of the foothills of the Kao-lan Shan, has received a moderate amount
of publicity in the Chinese press (see Figure 13). It is one of five
minority institutes, the central one of which is in Peking. The institute
covers a fairly lnrge area and has numerous buildings. Tibetans, Mbngols,
and Turkic individuals are the principal ethnic minority peoples trained
here, but at least 16 ethnic groups are represented.
Sociologists, anthropologists, and others with related training would
have a professional interest in the operation and programs of the institute.
3. Academy of Sciences
The Academy of Sciences is on the same traffic circle in
eastern Lan-chou as Lan-chou University and the Lan-chou Hotel. In 1958
it was in the early stages of construction and had only 2 research
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buildings 2 dormitories, and a library, but plans called for the con-
struction of 35 buildings to house at least 1,500 employees. The major
fields of interest of the academy are astronomy, biology, chemistry,
electrical engineering, geography, geology, geophysics, hydrobiology,
mathematics, petroleum engineering, physics, power electronics, and soils.
Scholars and scientists interested in any of the disciplines included
in the curriculum would have reason to visit the academy. A good share
of the field investigations conducted in Northwest China has been under
the direction of this organization, and the results of the work are
probably available at the academy, which is undoubtedly one of the prin-
cipal storehouses of information on interior China. Best known examples
of experiments and expeditions conducted by the academy include experi-
mentation on the agricultural uses of loessial soils, petroleum exploration
and development in Tsinghai and Sinkiang, and research on glaciers and
frozen earth.
4. Lan-chou Geophysical Observatory
The Lan-chou Geophysical Observatory is located in a very
remote spot in the northern outskirts of Lan-chou. It was constructed
for the International Geophysical Year in 1957, but its present function
is unknown. A visiting geophysicist reported that the observatory was a
fairly good seismological station. In 1958 it had three buildings and
nine seismographs. The director at that time was Chu Chang-hung.
The installation would be of interest only to geophysicists and
seismologists.
5. Medical Academy and Hospitals
The Medical Academy is adjacent to Lan-chou University, but
in 1958 it was reported to have no affiliation with either the university
or the Academy of Sciences. Public health officials and other medical
professionals would be interested in visiting this installation or any of
the associated hospitals.
6. Petroleum School
The Petroleum School is in Hsi-ku, probably adjacent to or
near the petroleum refinery. It presumably trains workers in petroleum
technology for work not only in the refinery but also in field prospect-
ing and production. It would be a logical place for anyone working in
the petroleum industry to visit.
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7. Veterinary School
Little is known of this installation, but it is reportedly
located south of the old walled city. It is probably a training facility
for specialists in the field of animal husbandry, which is important in
interior China.
C. Sites of Cultural Interest
1. Habitats of Non-Chinese Peoples
Lan-chou is situated on the ethnic border between Chinese
and non-Chinese peoples -- Tibetan, Mongol, Monguor, Turkic, and other
groups. The Chinese Communists have released a considerable amount of
propaganda about their work among the various non-Chinese minority
groups, claiming to have improved their living standards, encouraged
certain aspects of their cultures such as dress and folk dancing, and
attempted to provide them with written languages. In many cases, local
autonomous governments have been set up to give at least the semblance
of self-government. In general, the Chinese Communist government has
tried to create the impression that it has provided model treatment to
its minority nationalities.
A visit to any of numerous minority villages, communes, or monasteries
in the vicinity of Lan-chou would provide some insight into the Chinese
Communist methods of operation concerning minorities. Social scientists
could provide the most plausible reasons for wanting to visit such
localities, but others could offer logical justification for interest
in minority groups. In 1959 a British journalist was allowed to visit
T'ien-chu, in an area inhabited by Tibetans about 120 miles northwest of
Lan-chou. One of the leading centers of Tibetan Buddhism, the famous
Labrang Monastery near Hsia-ho, some 90 miles southwest of Lan-chou,
would be of potential interest.
2. Great Wall
A small part of the Great Wall of China is located in the
hills south of Lan-chou; other sections of the Great Wall stretch to the
northwest along the Ho-hal Corridor, particulArly in the Wu-wei vicinity.
The historic function of the wall as a line of separation between settled
agricultural societies and nomadic groups might provoke interest as to
whether the wall still is a line roughly separating contrasting types of
culture. The wall generFilly parallels the railroad to the northwest;
travel by rail might facilitate inspection of the wall, although detailed
examination of it would require leaving the railroad for short side trips.
Although the Great Wall is in disrepair in Kansu and is probably less
of a tourist attraction than the section near Peking, it is still of
interest to students of Chinese history and sociology.
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3. "Green Wall"
The "green wall" is an extensive shelterbelt planted along
the northern fringes of the Ho-hsi Corridor to prevent the encroachment
of wind-driven sand on arable land -- an extremely serious problem in
Kansu Province. This tremendously large project roughly parallels the
Lan-chou - Sinkiang Railroad, but visits to most parts of the shelter-
belt would require local transportation from the railroad. The Chinese
have reported the planting of over 4 million hectares of trees since
1951. The first trees planted reportedly already form a dense canopy
that has succeeded in reducing wind velocities and evaporation on the
leeward side.
Soil and forestry conservationists and others interested in the
utilization of natural resources would likely be interested in a tour
of this widely publicized shelterbelt.
4. Buddhist Shrines
The most famous of the Buddhist shrines is a group of sculp-
tures and paintings in the Cave of the Thousand Buddhas, near Tun-huang,
several hundred miles northwest of Lan-chou. To reach this cave a
traveler would take the Lan-chou - Sinkiang Railroad to Hsia-tung and
then proceed by road to Tun-huang. Closer to Lan-chou are the cave
temples at or near An-hsi, Wu-wei, and Lin-hsia (see Figure 15). These
temples are also accessible by a combination of railroad and road. Al-
though all of the caves are fairly remote from Lan-chou, travel to each
would require transit through Lan-chou.
Archeologists and students of Buddhism would have a primary interest
in these sites, but the Tun-huang caves are so well known that almost
any traveler might wish to visit them.
5. Stone-Age Relics
New relics of the stone age reportedly have been discovered
on the outskirts of Lan-chou, but the exact location is unknown. The
relics consist of more than 700 vessels of painted and red pottery, as
well as bone ornaments, stone vessels, and other objects. Archeologists
would be interested in visiting these sites and viewing the finds.
-11-
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Figure 1. View of Lan-chou from hills just south of city. The old walled city is in the
central portion of the photograph, and the more recently developed suburbs are to the
south and east. The Yellow River crosses the plain, from west to east, on the north side
of the city. 1953
Figure 2. Railroad bridge over Yellow River. This bridge, a few miles east of the city, links
Lan-chou by rail with Pao-t'ou. 1957
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0
0
0
CD0
0
0
CD0
0
0
clo
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'
Figure 3. New construction in Lan-chou. Large commercial, gov-
ernmental, and residential buildings dot the newer sections of Lan-
chou. Wide streets are typical. 1959
9- 1.00060006000V8 1.0 1.016/dC1t1-
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Figure 4. Residential section of Lan-chou. These recently constructed buildings are typi-
cal of the new residential areas in the city. 1959
Figure 5. Railroad yard in Lan-chou. The main freight yard is located
in the western suburbs. Tank cars are a common sight in Lan-chou. 1959
53237 3-66
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Figure 6. Road bridge over Yellow River. This bridge, originally constructed in 1909, links
the old city of Lan-chou with the north bank of the Yellow River. 1956 ?
Figure 7. Petroleum refinery at Hsi-ku, in western suburbs
of Lan-chou. This is the largest refinery in China. 1959
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Figure 8. Lan-chou chemical plant in Hsi-ku. This large plant probably has
been in operation since 1959. Post-1960
Figure 9. Lan-chou power and heat plant. This large thermal
plant provides most of the electric power for industries in Lan-
chou. 1957
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-
Figure 10. A-ka-chen coal mine a few miles south of Lan-chou. This mine supplies
most of the coal for industrial use in Lan-chou. A rail line links the mine with Lan-
chou. 1958
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Figure 11. Cement plant at Yung-teng, about
50 air miles from Lan-chou. This plant provides
a large share of the cement used by the con-
struction industry in Lan-chou and surround-
ing area. 1959
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Figure 12. Small machine shop in Lan-chou. "Liberation Type" waterwheels, for
use in irrigation, are produced in this shop. 1952
Figure 13. Northwest China Institute of National Minorities, in southern Lan-chou.
Students from minority groups live and study in this large institution, 1957
53241 3-66 CIA
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Approved For Release 2000/05/12 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000900090001-6
Figure 14. Yen-kuo hydroelectric site. The dam is one of the two large hydroelec-
tric projects under construction in the Lan-chou vicinity. It is shown in early stages
of construction but is now almost completed. 1959
53242 3-66
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Approved For Relea 2o00 10 8 000900090001-6
53243 3-66
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Approved For Release 2000/05/12 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000900090001-6
Ha-mi ,
SINKIANG UIGHUR MONGOLIA
-,
AUTONOM ? US ?1
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Hsi n -,
Pao-t'ou
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,
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NAMES AND BOUNDARY REPRESENTATION
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53177 2-66
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Approved For Release 2000/05/12 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000900090001-6
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Approved For Release 2000/05/12 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000900090001-6
Approved For Rele;/,8000010
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