Day 44: Visit to Foreign Affairs Office

This afternoon we had a scheduled visit to the Gansu Foreign Affairs Office. We received three presentations: the first a presentation on Canada's geography, economics, politics and culture. The second was on "The Pride of Gansu", a list of which I will share below. Most items also link to more information, so please have a look and find out about the Prides of Gansu!
The third was on Modern Chinese Wedding Celebrations, a topic that I got some insight into the week before.

Without further ado, The Prides of Gansu:

1. Dúzhě (读者) Magazine - circulation of 10 million each month
2. Hand stretched noodles, found in popular Lanzhou dish, niú ròu miàn
3. Mogao Grotto and Frescoes
4. Shenzhou 7 Spaceship
5. Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
6. Bronze Galloping Horse statue, discovered in Wuwei
   
7. Shandan Military Horse Farm, biggest in Asia
8. President Hú Jǐntāo and Premier Wēn Jiābǎo, who have both spent time in Gansu
9. Corn Harvest, Gansu produces half of the China's corn
10. Beer Barley, Gansu produces a quarter of the China's barley
11. Traditional Medicine, Gansu produces many ingredients for traditional medicine
    
12. Jinchuan Group Ltd (JNMC), Jinchuan Non-Ferrous Metal Company
    
13. Jiuquan Iron and Steel Co. (JISCO), Jiuquan city
    
14. "Copper City" of Baiyin
15. Four vaults of Classical Books
    
16. Emperor Fúxī (伏羲), survivor of Great Flood and repopulated with Nǚwā
17. Goddess Nǚwā (女娲), survivor of Great Flood and repopulated with Fúxī
    
18. Emporor Huángdì (黄帝), considered to be the ancestor of all Hàn Chinese
    
19. Emporer Qín Shǐhuáng (秦始皇), first to unite China
20. Poet Lĭ Bái (李白), regarded as one of the greatest poets in China's literary history
21. Mogao Grape Wine
22. Beauty Diāo Chán (貂蝉), one of the Four Beauties of Ancient China
    
23. Mǎ Sānlì (马三立), cross-talk actor
24. Compere Zhu Jun (朱军), CCTV presenter
25. Compere Shuĭ Jūnyì (水均益), graduate of Lanzhou University
26. Compere Lĭ Xiūpíng (李修平), CCTV presenter
    
27. Lǐ Yáng (李阳), developer of "Crazy English", a new way for Chinese to learn English
28. Scientist Qín Dàhé (秦大河), Former Director of the China Meteorological Administration
29. Yumen Oil Field, first natural oil field of China
30. Tower of Red Army's Force joining in Huining, commemorating the turning point for the Chinese Revolution from depression to victory
    
31. Liújiāxiá Reservoir, first to be designed and constructed solely by Chinese
32. Yellow River Elephant Fossil, at Gansu Provincial Museum
33. Màijī (麦积) Mountain Grotto in Tianshui
34. Tiānzhù (天柱) White Yak, Tibetan Autonomous Region
35. Wushaoling Tunnel, longest in China (20.5km)
36. Steel Bridge on Yellow River, built 1907
37. Lanzhou is the geometric centre on the map of China
38. West-East Natural Gas Transmission Project, 1/4 of which lies in Gansu
    
39. Great Wall in Jiayuguan Pass, Ruins of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall
    
40. Water Diversion Project, from Yangtze River to Gansu for irrigation, 800km long
41. 'Postman', the symbol of China Post, found in murals of Jiayuguan City
42. Potato, Gansu is the largest producer in China and have produced the new variety 'Black Beauty'
43. Crescent Moon Lake in Dunhuang.