Jiayuguan Pass
嘉峪关 · Jiayuguan, Gansu, China
The first frontier fortress at the western end of the Ming Great Wall, known as the "Greatest Impregnable Pass Under Heaven" and the most intact surviving ancient military building among the passes of the Great Wall.
Know before you go
- Do not carve on or climb the ancient walls and ruins
- do not climb unrestored, closed sections of the Great Wall without permission
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
Legend
The extra brick
Legend says that before Jiayuguan was built, the official in charge asked the designer to estimate how many bricks were needed, and the designer said 99999. When the official doubted it would be enough, the designer added one more. When the fortress was finished, exactly one brick was left over, and it is said to still lie loose on one of the gate towers today.
Source: Wikipedia: Jiayu Pass
History
Those who went west through the pass
Among the exiles who left westward through Jiayuguan was Lin Zexu, Viceroy of Liangguang at the time of the Opium War. When the traveller Mildred Cable visited in 1923, she recorded that the walls of the long archway of the west gate were covered with verses, written mostly by fallen scholars, disgraced officials and people banished beyond the pass.
Source: Wikipedia: Jiayu Pass
History
Strengthened against Timur
In the early Ming, fear of an invasion by Timur led the court to greatly strengthen the defences of Jiayuguan. Timur died of old age while leading his army towards China, and the war never came.
Source: Wikipedia: Jiayu Pass
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The Jiayuguan fortress stands about 6 kilometres southwest of Jiayuguan City in Gansu, at the narrowest point of the western Hexi Corridor, between two hills; it was built beside an oasis that then lay on the far western edge of China. Built in the early Ming dynasty, around 1372, the fortress is trapezoid-shaped, with a perimeter of 733 metres and walls 11 metres high, and its inner fort, outer fort and moat form three lines of defence. There is one gate on the east side and one on the west, each topped by a gate tower, and a tablet inscribed "Jiayuguan" hangs on the west gate tower; a turret stands on each corner, and the north and south sides join the Great Wall. Along with Juyong Pass and Shanhai Pass, Jiayuguan is one of the main passes of the Great Wall, and it was a key waypoint on the ancient Silk Road: in the Ming period, merchants and envoys from Central and West Asia mostly entered China here. In the past, people sent into exile had to leave westward through Jiayuguan, and most never returned. Thousands of Wei and Western Jin tombs have been found east of Jiayuguan City, their bricks painted with everyday scenes such as preparing a feast, roasting meat, picking mulberries, feeding chickens and herding horses.
Local customs
- Climb the gate towers to look out over the Gobi and the distant mountains beyond the pass, and walk a stretch of the Great Wall that joins the fortress on either side
- you can also visit the nearby Overhanging Great Wall and the First Pier of the Great Wall
- of the 18 excavated Wei-Jin tombs, only one is currently open to visitors, where you can see the brick paintings of daily life up close.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Do not carve on or climb the ancient walls and ruins
- do not climb unrestored, closed sections of the Great Wall without permission
Locals appreciate DO
- Keep to the open walkways
- follow the museum's rules on photography inside the gate towers
- protect your camera and belongings from the Gobi wind and sand
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- A visit takes about half a day, and ticket prices are as officially announced by the scenic area. The summer sun is strong, so bring sun protection and drinking water
- winter winds are cold, so dress warmly.
- From Lanzhou, take a train or bus to Jiayuguan City, then a city bus or taxi to the fortress scenic area
- it can also be combined with Dunhuang and Zhangye into a Hexi Corridor route. Spring and autumn, with their mild climate, are the best seasons to visit
- in summer you can see the Gobi oasis and snow-capped mountains in the same frame
- in winter there are few visitors.
Photos
Photos
Doron · CC BY-SA 3.0
Aine Hickey / Pinkfluffybrick · CC BY 3.0
Sources & verification notes
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