兰州位于黄河上游，是甘肃省的省会，也是中国西部第二大城市。早在5000年前，人类就在这里繁衍生息。著名的新石器时代遗迹——马家窑文化遗址就发源在这里。西汉时期，此地设立县治，称为“金城”。据《史记》记载，汉武帝元狩二年（前121），骠骑将军霍去病奉命“将万骑，出陇西”，西征河西匈奴。后来他在凯旋获胜后的归途中，在今兰州西固区的黄河南岸修筑了兰州地区历史上第一座城池，取名“金城”，寓意坚不可摧，并在大军渡河处设立了“金城渡”。从这里渡过黄河后，向西北可达河西走廊，直抵西域；向西南沿湟水而上，可抵青藏高原；向南越过南山，可达临洮及关中地区。北周武帝时，金城渡移至河北岸白塔山的山腰处。隋文帝开皇十八年(598)，又在白塔山下建起金城关，以拱卫渡口。随着丝绸之路的开通和繁荣，金城作为西去青海、河西乃至经西藏至尼泊尔入印度各道的交通枢纽，逐渐成为丝路重镇。隋初，改置兰州总管府，始称“兰州”。隋唐时期，丝绸之路达到鼎盛，兰州成为东西方交流的重要商埠，是联系西域少数民族地区的纽带。
　　古丝绸之路在兰州留下了众多古迹。今天兰州市南皋兰山北麓的五泉山，相传是西汉大将霍去病当年征讨匈奴时的屯兵之处。作为丝路重镇，兰州见证了佛教沿着丝绸之路从西向东传播的过程。唐代时，兰州地区修建了许多寺院，比较著名的有普照寺、庄严寺和木塔寺等，可能是当年西去求经的僧人停留歇宿的地方。其中木塔寺是唐贞观四年(630)高昌王麴文泰去长安觐见唐太宗回程经过兰州时所建。
　　今天的兰州是享有盛名的瓜果之城，白兰瓜、黄河密瓜、西瓜等瓜果全国知名，而且远销海内外许多地区。兰州不仅是全国铁路、公路、航空的综合交通枢纽和物流中心之一，也是东西合作交流和通往中亚、西亚、中东、欧洲的重要通道。
　　＞Lanzhou
　　Situated in the upper reaches of the Yellow River,Lanzhou,capital city of Gansu Province is the second largest city in western China.Mankind began to live and thrive in Lanzhou area as early as some five thousand years ago.The famous Neolithic ruins-Majiayao Culture found its origin here.During the Western Han Period,a local county government was established and the town was known as〝Jincheng(Golden City)".According to Historical Records in the 2nd year of the Yuanshou Period during reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty(121 B.C.),General Huo Qubing was ordered to go on an expedition west of Longxi to conquer the Huns in today's Hexi region.On his triumphant return,he built the first town in Lanzhou's history on the southern bank of the Yellow River which is today's Xigu District and named it〝Jincheng",implying that the city is indestructible.He also built a military ferry at where the army crossed the Yellow River and named it〝Jincheng Ferry".Having crossed the river from the Ferry,one may embark on different routes leading to different destinations.The route through the Hexi Corridor heading to the northwest leads to the Western Regions.The route along the Huangshui River heading southwest leads to the Tibetan Plateau.The southward route across Mount Nanshan leads to Lintao and the Guanzhong Plain.During the Northern and the Southern dynasties when Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Kingdom was in power,Golden City Ferry was moved to the northern bank of the Yellow River,at the mountainside of the White Pagoda Mountain.In the 18th year of the Kaihuang Period of the Sui Dynasty(598),Emperor Wen built the Golden City Stronghold at the foot of White Pagoda Mountain to protect the ferry.With the opening of the Silk Road and its prosperity,Jincheng,as a transportation hub leading to Western Regions such as Qinghai,Hexi Corridor and even to Tibet,Nepal and India,gradually became a major town along the Silk Road.In early Sui Dynasty,a local government office named Lanzhou General Administration was established and the city followed the name of Lanzhou.During the Sui and the Tang dynasties,trade along the Silk Road thrived to its peak.Lanzhou became an important commercial port for East-West exchange and a link with ethnic minorities in the Western Regions.
　　The ancient Silk Road has left many historical sites in Lanzhou.According to legend,Mount Wuquan(Five Springs)on the northern foothills of the Gaolanshan Mountain south of Lanzhou city was the site of barracks where General Huo Qubing stationed his army before he set off to conquer the Huns.Lanzhou witnessed the historical migration of Buddhism from the West to the East along the Silk Road.Many temples and monasteries were built in Lanzhou during the Tang times.Some of the famous ones include the Puzhao(Universal Illumination)Monastery,the Zhuangyan(Solemn)Monastery and the Wooden Pagoda(Muta)Monastery.Many of these monasteries were probably guesthouses for monks to take a rest on their pilgrimage to the West.Amongst them,the Wooden Pagoda Monastery was built by Qu Wentai in the 4th year of the Zhenguan Period of the Tang Dynasty(630)on his return trip from Chang'an where the Gaochang King presented himself to the Tang Emperor Taizong.
　　Today,Lanzhou is a famous city for many varieties of melons.Bailan melon,honey-dew melon and watermelon are not only well-known in China,but also in the rest of the world.Lanzhou is not only one of the integrated transportation hub for railway,highway and airway traffic,as well as a logistics center,it has become an important channel for East-West exchange and cooperation,a gateway to Central Asia,Western Asia,the Middle East and Europe.