Shimen Gorge Scenic Area

　　Shimen Gorge Scenic Area is located in Taoyan Township, east of Zhuoni County.

　　Major cultural attractions:

　　① Shimen Temple, built in 1606, as well as Daxawu Temple, also known as "Tibetan King Temple" or Baojia Temple. ② The family tomb of the First Dalai of the Tibetan Zholainlin lineage — Tibetan King Tomb, which established the Zholainlin reincarnation system in Tibet. ③ Nair Village, known as "Water Embraced Village," surrounded on three sides by the Tao River to the south, west, and north. ④ Site of the Gansu Province water diversion project — the Tao River Diversion Project.

　　Major natural scenery:

　　① Shimen Gorge, featuring the Dragon King Temple built in the early years of the Kangxi Emperor’s reign in the Qing Dynasty, which was bestowed the imperial title "Golden Lock of Shimen." The Tao River winds through the gorge, with crystal-clear, mirror-like waters. Local legends tell of Yu the Great opening the gorge to control the floods and of Lu Ban creating the gorge. ② Cliff outcrops that are a distribution hub for Tao inkstone materials — one of China’s three most famous inkstones. Famous since the Song Dynasty, it has been praised as "Taozhou stone rivals the treasures of Zhao" and "no match for Duanxi or She inkstones in color."