Tianshui

Tianshui (Chinese: 天水; pinyin: Tiānshuǐ) is the second largest city in Gansu province in northwest China. Its population is approximately 320,300 (2000). A nearby tourist attraction is the Maijishan Grottoes filled with thousands of ancient Buddhist sculptures. The Qin state, later to become the founding dynasty of the Chinese empire, grew out from this area, and the Qin name itself is believed to have originated, in part, from there [1]. Qin tombs have been excavated from Fangmatan near Tianshui, including one 2200 year old map of Guixian county [2]. It is a diocese of the Roman Catholic church, currently vacant. area code: 938