Be sure to visit this place before leaving Zhangye

"After a cold night in Qilian, I wake from dreams at dawn, the stars and constellations cast an illusory light upon the horse's hooves." If you come to Zhangye, be sure to set aside a day for Matisi, one of the three great Buddhist art treasures under the Qilian Mountains. Only after seeing it can one marvel at the difficulty of carving the grottoes and the wisdom of the ancients! Matisi is named after the legend of a celestial horse leaving its hoof prints here while drinking water, which are still preserved in the Mati Hall of Puguang Temple, becoming the treasure of the temple. Address: Within the territory of Mati Tibetan Township, Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, Gansu Province, about 65 kilometers from Zhangye city center Transportation: Self-driving is recommended If hiring a car, the round trip costs about 400-600 yuan/day Public transport: Take a bus to Mati Tibetan Township, but you need to walk 3-4 kilometers to enter the scenic area Ticket prices: Qianfodong 39 yuan, Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes 35 yuan, four special caves are 80 yuan. ◆ Main structures: Qianfodong, Ge'erwang Palace, Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes, Zangfo Hall, Mati Hall, etc. The most recommended is the Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes However, it can only accommodate a few dozen visitors at a time. If you visit during holidays, queuing can be very painful, often requiring four hours (as said by the souvenir-selling auntie). If you go on a workday, then you're in luck. AA (You can buy tickets separately, just get the main ticket + Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes! It's advised to buy on-site.) Worth seeing is the "Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes" Carved into a hundred-meter-high red sandstone wall, they are stacked from bottom to top in a pagoda shape, with a total of 7 layers Here you can not only climb and crawl through caves but also see exquisite murals However, inside the caves, you can still see the scribbles of "been here" as a reminder that we must protect our cultural heritage ◆ Next is Qianfodong Also built by carving caves, the passage leading to the Medicine Buddha Hall is the hardest to climb, at a 90-degree angle, requiring the use of hands and feet to ascend. This part feels very much like rock climbing and is definitely worth the challenge. ◆ Newly opened special caves Matisi has recently opened 4 special caves, mainly to see the structure of the caves. The remaining Buddha statues are severely damaged, and the murals inside the caves are almost gone. So personally, I don't think it's very necessary to see them. If you like ancient architecture, you can visit. Touring suggestions: First visit the Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes, where you can park a little lower at the activity center (with many windmills here), which is slightly closer to the entrance! Then go to Qianfodong If time allows, after browsing the main scenic area, be sure to navigate to Dadu Maji Village (towards Jinta Temple) within the scenic area! You will delve into the secret realm at the northern foot of the Qilian Mountains, driving leisurely for 1 hour on a township road within the Qilian Mountains Nature Reserve. (You can self-drive without buying a ticket for Jinta Temple!)