Yanmen Pass, or Yanmenguan, located in Xinzhou, Shanxi province, is a famous pass along the Great Wall. It was set up on Yanmen Mountain during the Tang Dynasty and was rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty.
In ancient times, Yanmen Pass was difficult to get through, so it was regarded as “the most important among the nine passes under heaven”. It could prevent northern nomads (游牧民族) from getting into central China. As an old saying goes, “The nation would be safe if Yanmen was under control and the nation would be endangered if it lost control of the pass.”
The pass is about 1 kilometer long and the height of the wall is about 4 meters. There are three gates in Yanmen Pass, with the central gate called Yanmen, which means “wild goose gate”. It was named after the wild geese that were often seen flying around the pass.
During the Qing Dynasty, there was often heavy traffic on the roads near Yanmen Pass, which often led to arguments between businessmen and the local people. In 1772, the local government set up a stone plaque (石碑) to manage the traffic. It is one of the country’s few ancient traffic signs that still exist (存在) today.
The pass was also a custom gate for Wang Zhaojun, one of the “four great beauties” of ancient China. To keep peace between the nomads and the Han people, she was sent to marry the leader of a group of nomads, leaving the well-known historical story “Zhaojun Goes Beyond the Great Wall”, which is still widespread today.
Yanmen Pass plays an important role in history and culture. Now it has become a valuable treasure to attract tourists from around the world.
Yanmen Pass in Shanxi province is a famous pass along the Great Wall. In ancient times, it Yanmen Pass has three gates, with the central gate called Yanmen. It was named so With its importance in history and culture, Yanmen Pass has become a valuable tourist attraction around the world. |
