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Yangguan Pass

Yangguan Pass, a symbol of parting due to the below poem, is located about 70 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang city. Acted as one of the two vital gateways to Central Asia, India and Europe, Yangguan Pass plays an important role in military defense and Silk Road trading in the ancient time, along with Yumenguan Pass. Such a long time have this pass stayed at the route of Silk Road that we can catch a glimpse of how prosperous this place was and how the locals and soldiers lived, even though the remains are in a sorry state.

What is got Weicheng path dust wet is the morning rain,
The willows near the Hotel become green again.
I urge you to empty another cup of wine,
West of the Yangguan Pass you will see no more of mine.
-- Farewell to an Envoy on His Mission to Anxi, by Wang Wei, a famous poet in Tang Dynasty (618 A.D.-907 A.D.)


Yangguan Pass	Yangguan Pass Museum

Today, Yangguan Pass is in ruins buried under sand dunes. When you climb up to the top of a reddish sandstone hill, you can be given a perfect view of the vast area, an over-two-thousand-year dimness of history tracing back to the past views and people. In your eyes, it is a desert filled with precious deposits.

Travelers can ascend the ancient city, idle around the Yangguan Pass street, appreciate the spectacular desert landscapes, experience the local customs, savor the splendid culture of Han and Tang Dynasties, etc, to have a taste of this ancient Yangguan Pass.

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