Yellow River Waterwheel Garden


The Waterwheel Garden, built in 1994, is located in the Binhe Middle Road in Lanzhou, Gansu
Province. The garden covers an area of 1.45 hectares and is comprised of two waterwheels, a
cofferdam, the recreation area and a house of water mill.

Lanzhou is the only city through which the Yellow River flows; there are thus many irrigation machines
in the city. The waterwheel is an ancient device that uses flowing or falling water to create power by
means of a set of paddles mounted around a wheel. The force of the water moved the paddles, and
the consequent rotation of the wheel is transmitted to machinery via the shaft of the wheel. Until 1952,
about 252 waterwheels stood along the river in Lanzhou, and at that time, the city was reputed to be the
'City of Waterwheels'.

In the garden, two huge waterwheels with striking appearances stand uprightly on the south bank of the Yellow River. They are modeled on the
antique waterwheel, having quadrate buckets and a diameter of 16.5 meters. In high water periods, they are driven by flowing water from the river;
in low water periods, they are driven by water gathered by cofferdam. Owing to the two waterwheels and an advantaged position, the Waterwheel
Teahouse attracts a lot of tourists.

Here, visitors can appreciate the revolving waterwheels while enjoying a cup of tea. Moreover, the
photo studio, stores and the house of water mill in the garden provide further entertainment and
convenience for visitors.