Qingyang

Qingyang is a prefecture-level city in eastern Gansu, spread across the deeply eroded ravines and flat-topped ridges (yuan) of the Loess Plateau. It is regarded as a cradle of early Zhou agrarian civilisation, honouring the ancestor Bu Zhu, and is celebrated for its vibrant folk arts — embroidered sachets, paper-cuts and shadow puppets. Beneath its dry ridges lie rich oil and gas fields and cave dwellings (yaodong) carved into the loess. For an international student, Qingyang offers deep-rooted folk culture, dramatic plateau landscapes and an authentic look at rural northwestern China.