Qílián

Qilian lies amid the high valleys and pastures of the Qilian Mountains, south of the Hexi Corridor. Snowy ridges, forested slopes and grassland stand close together in this varied mountain country. The Babao River runs west through the range and joins another headstream of the Hei River; their combined waters eventually emerge onto the dry plain near Ganzhou. The uplands provide pasture, while the rivers carry mountain water toward the cultivated oases beyond the northern slopes.