Editing Gansu (section)

===Imperial era===
[[File:Chinese jar, Neolithic period, painted earthenware, HAA.JPG|thumb|left|[[Xindian culture]] era jar with two lug handles uncovered in Gansu, dating to around 1,000 BC]] [[File:Yumenguan.jpg|left|250px|thumb|The ruins of a gate at [[Yumen Pass]], built during the [[Jin dynasty (266–420)]]]]
In imperial times, Gansu was an important strategic outpost and communications link for the Chinese empire, as the [[Hexi Corridor]] runs along the "neck" of the province. The [[Han dynasty]] extended the [[History of the Great Wall of China|Great Wall]] across this corridor, building the strategic [[Yumenguan]] (Jade Gate Pass, near [[Dunhuang]]) and [[Yangguan]] fort towns along it. Remains of the wall and the towns can be found there. The [[Ming dynasty]] built the [[Jiayuguan (pass)|Jiayuguan]] outpost in Gansu. To the west of Yumenguan and the [[Qilian Mountains]], at the northwestern end of the province, the [[Yuezhi]], [[Wusun]], and other [[nomad]]ic tribes dwelt ([[Shiji]] 123), occasionally figuring in regional imperial Chinese [[geopolitics]].

By the Qingshui treaty, concluded in 823 between the [[Tibetan Empire]] and the Tang dynasty, China lost much of western Gansu province for a significant period.<ref>Turghun Almas, "Uygurlar", Kashgar, 1989.</ref>

After the fall of the [[Uyghur Khaganate]], a Buddhist [[Yugur people|Yugur]] (Uyghur) state called the [[Ganzhou Uyghur Kingdom]] was established by migrating Uyghurs from the khaganate in part of Gansu that lasted from 848 to 1036{{nbsp}}AD.

Along the [[Silk Road]], Gansu was an economically important province, as well as a cultural transmission path. Temples and [[Buddhist]] [[grotto]]es<ref>[http://en.people.cn/200201/03/eng20020103_87985.shtml English.people.com.cn]</ref> such as those at [[Mogao Caves]] ('Caves of the Thousand Buddhas') and [[Maijishan Caves]] contain artistically and historically revealing [[mural]]s.<ref>"Artistic treasures of Maiji Mountain caves" by Alok Shrotriya and Zhou Xue-ying. [http://www.asianart.com/articles/alok/index.html Asianart.com]</ref> An early form of paper inscribed with [[Chinese writing|Chinese characters]] and dating to about 8{{nbsp}}BC was discovered at the site of a Western Han [[garrison]] near the Yumen pass in August 2006.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080328142706/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-08/08/content_4937457.htm Xinhuanet.com ]</ref>

The Xixia or [[Western Xia]] dynasty controlled much of Gansu as well as [[Ningxia]].

The province was also the origin of the [[Dungan Revolt (1862–77)|Dungan Revolt]] of 1862–77. Among the [[Qing dynasty|Qing]] forces were Muslim generals, including [[Ma Zhan'ao]] and [[Ma Anliang]], who helped the Qing crush the rebel Muslims. The revolt had spread into Gansu from neighbouring Qinghai.

There was another [[Dungan revolt (1895–1896)|Dungan revolt from 1895 to 1896]].

[[File:JiayuguanFort.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Jiayuguan Pass|Jiayuguan]] Fort]]