Lanzhou

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The following is a description of Lanzhou by Ghiyath al-Din Naqqash when he came to China in 1419-1422:

“The City of Beauty” (Lan Chou)

On the other side of the river Qaramoran there stood a large town. The envoys were treated to a feast which was bigger than all the previous feasts that had been hitherto given. In this city there was an exceedingly magnificent and splendid idol temple so that they had seen no building like it since their crossing the frontiers till now. There were also three big taverns within this town in which there were many beautiful girls. All kinds of artisans that were highly skilled were to be found in that town. Although the people of China were mostly handsome yet this town was known as the City of Beauty.

- Ghiyath al-Din Naqqash, An Account of the Coming Back of the Envoys who had gone to Cathay and Chinese Stories and Customs, translated in K. M. Maitra, trans., A Persian Embassy to China (Lahore, 1934; reprinted New York, 1970) [Together with the Persian text of Hafiz-i Abru], pp. 96-97.