The banks of the Heihe River in Yanuan town, Linze county, Zhangye, Gansu province, are bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun. [Photo/Gansu Daily]

The banks of the Heihe River in Yanuan town, Linze county, Zhangye, Gansu province, were bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun on Sept 26. The winding river flowed gently like a green ribbon, while along its banks, fields of plump corn, golden rice, and vibrant red peppers stretched into the distance. Together with colorful trees, swaying reeds, and lush wetlands, the scenery formed a breathtaking autumn panorama, alive with the spirit of the harvest.

The Heihe River, China's second-largest inland river, originates in the Qilian Mountains, stretching 948 kilometers in length and covering a basin area of 44,400 square kilometers. It flows through Qinghai, Gansu, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, serving as a vital mother river to the region. 

Its waters nourish over 3 million mu (approximately 200,000 hectares) of farmland and 850,000 mu of forests and grasslands within the basin, contributing to an annual grain output of more than 1 million metric tons. Sustaining over a million people of diverse ethnic groups, each harvest season stands as a vivid testimony to the river's role in fostering prosperity and vitality throughout the region.