Tianshui is the main stopping point on the Silk Road from Van to Lanzhou. Its history dates back further than this. However, a number of sources cite on the banks of the Wei River were the 'cradle' of Chinese civilization. This region has been inhabited since Neolithic time, an excavated relic has a history of 8120 years, and maybe it was the heart of the prehistory China.

Maijishan Grottoes (Wheatstack Mountain) located on the northern side of the Qinling Mountain Range and at a height of 1742m above sea level, gets its name from its giant, haystack-like shape. The mountain's fame arises not just from its appearance, but from the many Buddhist caves that are gouged into its southwestern face. This is the fourth largest area of concentrated Buddhist grottoes in China. The area around and on the mountain is one of the most beautiful sights in Gansu for both stunning natural and impressive man-made, scenery. The mountain, studded with caves and strapped by many winding walkways and spiral stairs, rises majestically from the surrounding heavily wooded slopes, so any visitor here with a bit of time on their hands could easily spend a few days hiking and admiring.