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. |
There are long rivers, and there are famous rivers. The Nile is the world’s longest and most famous river. It runs 6,650 kilometers. Crocodiles and hippos live in its waters. Pyramids built by Egyptians rise along its banks.
The main branch of the Nile, the White Nile, starts just about Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest fresh-water lake, in east central Africa. Then it flows to the north. At Sudan’s capital, another great river called the Blue Nile joins the White Nile. Together, they form on every powerful river. Then it goes through Egypt’s famous Nile Valley before reaching the Mediterranean Sea.
Ancient Egypt, the first great African civilization, started along the banks of the Nile more than 5,000 years ago. Ancient Egypt ruled the Nile Valley for thousands of years. Great pyramids and temples were built on the banks and we can still visit them today.
Without the rich farmland along the banks of Nile, there might be no ancient Egyptian civilization. Every year, the Nile flooded its banks. The flood waters covered the banks with a rich soil. The Nile’s banks were easy to farm and produce crops.
The Nile also made a perfect highway for boats. The river runs north, but the wind on the river blows south. To go south, boaters put up sail to catch the wind. To go north, they took the sails down. Ancient people traded along the river for hundreds of miles.
The Nile—the longest and most famous river in the world | |
| Where does the Nile flow? | *The white Nile is the main branch of the Nile. It starts above Lake Victoria and then *The Blue Nile joins the White Nile at the *Then the Nile goes through the Nile Valley. Finally |
| The Nile’s long and rich banks. | *Ancient Egypt started along the banks of the Nile more than 5,000 years ago. Its people built pyramids and temples we can still visit today. *Every year the Nile flooded its banks. The floodwater covered the banks with a rich soil. Rich farmland *The Nile made a perfect highway for boats. To go south, boaters put up sails to catch the wind. To go north, they took the sails down. Ancient people |
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