Yumen

The Lonely Gateway to the West

1.Located in the Gobi Desert of the Shule: River Valley, approximately 90 kilometers northwest of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province, Yumen Pass (Jade Gate Pass) stands as a solitary sentinel of Chinese history. Known as the "First Pass of Hexi," this site is celebrated in Chinese literature as the "most lonely pass," immortalized by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Zhihuan’s famous line: "The spring breeze does not cross Yumen Pass". Unlike the bustling tourist centers of Mogao Grottoes, Yumen Pass offers a profound sense of historical desolation and grandeur. The surviving ruins, primarily the Small Fangpan City (Xiao Fangpan Cheng), stand amidst the endless sands, witnessing over two thousand years of history as the western throat of the ancient Silk Road.

A History Carved in Sand and Jade

2.The history of Yumen: Pass dates back to the second year of the Yuanshou era of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (121 BC). Following the victory of General Huo Qubing over the Xiongnu, the Han court established the Hexi Four Commanderies and constructed the Great Wall and passes to secure the border. The pass received its evocative name, "Jade Gate," because the precious Khotan jade from the Western Regions was transported into the Central Plains through this specific checkpoint.

3.During the Han: Dynasty, this was a vital military and commercial hub where envoys, merchants, and soldiers converged. It marked the boundary between the settled agricultural civilization of China and the nomadic regions of the west. Although the pass moved eastward during the Wei and Jin dynasties, the original Han site remains a symbol of the "Great Han Wind" and the flourishing trade of the Silk Road.

Small Fangpan City and the Great Wall

The core of the scenic area is the Small Fangpan City, the remaining structure of the Han Dynasty pass. It is a square rammed-earth fortress covering over 600 square meters, with walls standing about 10 meters high. Despite centuries of wind and sand erosion, the structure remains imposing, displaying the architectural wisdom of using local loess and reeds.

Surrounding the pass are the remnants of the Han Great Wall, which snake through the Gobi Desert. Unlike the brick walls of the Ming Dynasty, these walls were built using layers of sand, gravel, and tamarisk branches, adapted to the harsh desert environment. Visitors can also see ancient beacon towers (Fengsui) standing in isolation against the horizon, which were once used to send smoke signals warning of enemy attacks.

A Landscape of Poetry and Solitude

Culturally, Yumen Pass is synonymous with frontier poetry. While the neighboring Yangguan Pass represents the sorrow of parting ("West of Yangguan there are no old friends"), Yumen Pass embodies a more military and rugged aesthetic,. The view from the pass is breathtakingly vast; visitors can climb to the viewing platforms to see the "long river and round setting sun" over the desert, a scene that perfectly captures the desolate beauty described in ancient verses. The site also connects to the nearby Yardan National Geopark (Ghost City), making it a perfect starting point for exploring the raw geological power of the Dunhuang region.