Qilian Mountains

Qilian Mountains is in the northeast of Qinghai Province and west border of Gansu Province. It is composed of several parallel mountain ranges and wide valleys including the biggest salt water lake in China- Qinghai Lake. Mountainous prairie and forests are distributed alternately. The virgin forest has an area of 157,000 hectares, and there are trees mainly Qinghai spruce and Qilian sabina chinensis and poplar etc. and there always have red deer, lynx, snow cock, wild donkey, and snow leopard haunted. It is rich of mineral resources, so it is called as "Treasure Mountain".

Qilian Mountains is higher in the northwest, and lower in the southeast, with most altitude of mountains are between 3,500-5,000 meters. The altitude of the highest peak is 6,305 meters. The width of mountain range reaches 400 km, which is composed of above seven mountain ranges with valleys and lake basins in it.

Climate

Four seasons of Qilian Mountains are not distinct. So called “Snowing in June” is to describe its special climate and natural scenery.

Important water source

Mountainous regions in Qilian Mountains have more glaciers and peaks covered by snow all the year round. Glacier in east of mountain ranges is one of the most concentrated distributions in China. Although glaciers are not in large scale, when snow melts, abundant water flow downward the drought regions at the foot of mountains because of its wide area. It is the important water source for agricultural irrigation.

Geographical meaning

Qilian Mountains is a humid island stretching to drought regions in the southwest of China. It segregates the deserts in Inner Mongolia and Tsaidam Basin, and melted glaciers and rains in mountains form rivers cultivating Hosi Corridor (the thoroughfare to Xinjiang Autonomous Region from inland of China), and so famous Silk Road arises. Qilian Mountains shakes hands with Tianshan Mountain. Hosi Corridor is like an arm dragging Xinjiang Autonomous Region for China.

Cultural relics

Hosi Corridor in front of Qilian Mountains is important natural thoroughfare connecting the inland and the northwest since ancient times, and there are lots of cultural relics and scenic spots. In Han(206-220 A.D.) and Tang(618-907 A.D.) dynasties, famous Silk Road passed through here, and left a lot of historical relics related Chinese and Western cultural exchange. For example, famous bronze galloping horse in Han Dynasty was excavated in Wuwei City, east of Hosi Corridor.