Kāngǔ

Kangu lies in the hills southeast of Lanzhou, where a narrow gorge cuts through the dry uplands. The Song established a fortified settlement here and rebuilt it in 1096 as part of the defences around Lanzhou. A cliff inscription in the gorge, dated 1118, preserves the name of an official of Kangu Fort. The Jin raised the fort to county status in 1182. Its history reflects the importance of the valleys and passes guarding the approaches to the Yellow River city.