Maijishan Wenquan is a hot spring retreat set near Maijishan — the famous Grain Stack Mountain of Gansu Province whose cliffsides are carved with thousands of Buddhist statues and cave temples dating from the 4th century CE. The geothermal waters emerge at therapeutic temperatures, offering mineral-rich soaking that has long attracted pilgrims and travelers passing through this culturally extraordinary landscape of northwestern China. Visitors to the spring can combine the physical restoration of thermal bathing with an exploration of one of China's most awe-inspiring Buddhist heritage sites, where art, faith, and nature converge in the loess highlands of the Silk Road.
Insider tip — Maijishan (Wheatstack Mountain) near Tianshui in Gansu is famous for its 194 Buddhist grottoes carved into a 142-metre rock. The local wenquan (hot spring) is a counterpoint to the spiritual ascent — soak after exploring one of China's four great Buddhist cave complexes.