武威市位于甘肃省中部，河西走廊的东端，东临省会兰州，西通金昌，南依祁连山，北接腾格里沙漠。早在5000多年前，这里就有人类活动。
　　秦代，武威地区曾为大月氏人的驻牧地。西汉初年，匈奴击败大月氏，占领了河西地区，匈奴休屠王筑姑臧城。汉武帝元狩二年(前121)春，汉武帝派骠骑将军霍去病出陇右讨伐匈奴，取得大胜，将整个河西走廊纳入西汉版图，后设置武威、酒泉、张掖、敦煌四郡。武威郡的中心区处于四周高山环绕、中间低丘横列的武威盆地之中，有肥沃的平原和石羊河水系的灌溉，十分利于发展农业。南部及西南部的草场丰茂，可耕可牧；北部又有很大的盐场，因此自古就被当做“兵食恒足，战守多利”的富庶之地，有“银武威”之称。自汉武帝开辟河西四郡，历代王朝曾在这里设郡置府，东晋十六国时，前凉、后凉、南凉、北凉和隋末的大凉政权先后在此建都，使武威成为长安以西的大都会，中西交通的咽喉，丝绸之路的重镇。
　　武威城南的天梯山石窟也称“大佛寺”，创建于东晋十六国时期的北凉(401—439)，后经历代开凿，规模宏大，建筑雄伟，有学者称其为“中国石窟鼻祖”。窟内保存壁画数百平方米，现存洞窟三层，佛像一百多尊。其主体建筑大佛窟中的如来佛坐像造像神态逼真，塑造十分精致。
　　十六国后凉时期，西域名僧鸠摩罗什曾在此讲经说法、翻译佛经达十七八年之久。现武威市城北的罗什寺就是为了纪念鸠摩罗什而建，寺中的罗什寺塔据说为他的葬舌之地。
　　＞Wuwei
　　Wuwei is located in Central Gansu,at the eastern end of the Hexi Corridor,bordering Lanzhou on the east and Jinchang on the west.The city lies between the Qilian Mountain on the south and the Tengger Desert on the north.Human activities started in Wuwei area as early as some five thousand years ago.
　　Wuwei used to be Dayuezhi people's ranching pastures during the Qin Dynasty.In early years of the Western Han Dynasty,the Huns defeated Dayuezhi and occupied the Hexi area where a city named Guzang was built by Xiutu,King of the Huns.In the spring of 121 B.C.Emperor Wu sent General Huo Qubing to crusade against the Huns beyond the Longyou region.With the full victory of the general,the entire Hexi Corridor was incorporated into the territory of the Western Han Dynasty.Later four administrative counties were set up in the new territory,i.e.Wuwei,Jiuquan,Zhangye and Dunhuang.The geographical feature of Wuwei's central area is like a low-hill basin,surrounded by high mountains.The fertile land in the basin center is irrigated by the Shiyang River system,very conducive to the development of agriculture.Lush pastures could be found in the south and southwest regions,where it is good for both growing and ranching.Major salterns are found in the north.Since ancient times Wuwei has been well-known as the land for war preparations,and hence got the nick name〝Silver Wuwei".Ever Since the establishment of the four counties in the Hexi region during the Western Han Dynasty,regimes of subsequent dynasties all set up jurisdictions and administrative offices here.During the Sixteen Kingdoms Period concurrent the Eastern Jin Dynasty in Central China,regimes of Former Liang,Later Liang,Southern Liang and Northern Liang kingdoms and regime of the Daliang Kingdom at the end of the Sui Dynasty all designated Wuwei their capital city.Wuwei gradually became a true metropolis west of Chang'an,a strategic juncture of Central-West communications and a major town along the Silk Road.
　　Located in the south of Wuwei city,Tiantishan(heavenly ladder mountain)Grotto,also known as Temple of Giant Buddha(Da Fo Si),was built by the Later Liang administration when sixteen regimes ruled in succession concurrent to the Eastern Jin Dynasty(401-439).After many generations of digging and building,the grotto caves became so impressively huge with majestic structures.Hence,some scholars named it〝originator of Chinese grottoes".The total area of wall murals inside the caves amounts to several hundred square meters.The extant caves are in three tiers with over one hundred Buddha statues.The seated statue of Tathagata Buddha in the main structure〝Giant Buddha Cave"is so meticulously carved with vivid facial expressions.
　　During the reign of Later Liang of the Sixteen Kingdoms Period,a well-known Buddhist monk from the Western Regions Kumarajiva stayed in here for nearly eighteen years where he preached Buddhism and translated Buddhism scriptures.The Kumarajiva Monastery located in the north of present-day Wuwei was built to commemorate this great man.The Kumarajiva Pagoda inside the monastery is said to be the place where Kumarajiva's tongue was buried.
　　武威雷台汉墓与铜奔马
　　武威雷台汉墓是一座东汉晚期的大型砖石墓葬。墓内出土有金、银、铜、铁、玉、骨、石、陶器等各类文物共221件，其中有铸造精致的青铜车马武士仪仗俑99件，还有一件特别引人注目的铜奔马。铜奔马又称“马超龙雀”，高34.5厘米，长45厘米，重7.15公斤，马呈奋蹄飞奔状，三足腾空，右后足下踏着一只展翅而飞的雀鸟，整件作品铸造技巧精湛，造型手法巧妙，堪称青铜艺术精品。1985年，中国国家旅游局将其定为“中国旅游标志”，从此铜奔马的形象出现在各类旅游产品上。
　　Leitai Han Tomb in Wuwei and the Bronze Galloping Horse
　　The Leitai Han Tomb in Wuwei is a large brick-and-stone structure built during the late Eastern Han Dynasty.A total of two hundred and twenty one pieces of relics were unearthed from the tomb including gold,silver,copper,iron,jade,bone,stone and pottery.Among them there are ninety-nine bronze figurines of honor guards that are exquisitely made,as well as the bronze horse-pulled chariot.One of the relics that is very eye catching is a bronze galloping horse.This 34.5 centimeter high,45 centimeter long bronze statue weighs 7.15 kilograms.Three of the horse's legs are up in the air with the last one stepping on a fiying bird.The whole piece was designed with ingenuity and casted with superb techniques,deserving the honor of a top-notch artistic work.In 1985,the China National Tourism Bureau designated the bronze galloping horse as the logo for Chinese tourism.Since then this image appeared on all kinds of tourism products.