Gansu is composed of the initials of Ganzhou (now Zhangye) and Suzhou (now Jiuquan). Because Xixia once set up Gansu military sub-division, Gansu Province was set up in Yuan Dynasty, referred to as Gansu; Because most of the province is in the west of Longshan (Liupan Mountain), Longyou Road is located here in the Tang Dynasty, so it is also called Longyan for short.

In the pre-Qin period, China was divided into Kyushu, and Gansu was subordinate to Yongzhou and Liangzhou, formerly known as "Land of Harmony".

In Shang Dynasty, Zhou tribe, the ancestor of Zhou people, who lived in Jinghe and Weihe river basins and was still in the clan tribe stage, improved farming and opened up the earliest agriculture in China. Before the destruction of the Shang Dynasty, it defeated Xirong, lived with other nationalities, and extended its territory to Mi (now Lingtai County, Gansu Province). During this period, there were Qiang, Gong (now north of Jingchuan County) and Mi (now west of Lingtai County) tribes in Gansu Province.

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the ancestors of Qin people settled in the eastern part of the province, that is, Tianshui area, and began a slow transition from nomadic economy to agricultural economy, while nomadic life still dominated.

In the Spring and Autumn Period, in the ninth year of King Zhouzhuang (688 BC), the State of Qin established Yunxian (south of Tianshui Maiji District) and Jixian (now Gangu County) in the conquered areas of Yongrong and Ji Rong, which were the earliest two counties in the history of China.

During the Warring States Period, the territory of the State of Qin had reached the southeast of Gansu. From the fifth year of King Yuan Geng of Qin Huiwen to the eleventh year of Yuan Geng (320-3 14), the State of Qin conquered the Iraqi Canal many times, and put down the western military forces. In the twenty-seventh year of Qin Zhao Haoqi (the first 280 years), Longxi County was established. Nine years later, in the thirty-fifth year of Qin Zhao Haoqi (272 BC), Beidi County was established again.

In the 26th year of Qin Shihuang (the first 22 years1year), Qin unified the whole country and set up 36 counties. Gansu still belongs to Longxi County and Beidi County.