Líyuán

Liyuan lies in the mountain country drained by the Liyuan River, a tributary of the Hei River. Its headwaters gather on the northern slopes of the Qilian Mountains before the stream turns northeast through a narrow valley. At Liyuankou it emerges onto the Hexi Corridor and enters the Linze oasis, where its water can be diverted into fields. Beyond the irrigated land, the remaining flow joins the Hei River. The contrast between the confined upper valley and the open plain is striking.