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Yumenguan Pass of Great Wall, located 56 miles northwest of Dunhuang City in Gansu Province, is one of the two important passes on the western frontier from the Han Dynasty in Chinese history, along with the impressive Yangguan Pass. In ancient times, Yumenguan Pass of Great Wall was the only means of entering western regions of the world from the center of China. What’s more, it is also a military fort along the ancient Silk Road: like a solemn solider protecting Dunhuang from invasion from the Western Regions since ancient times.

Yumenguan Pass literally means “Jade Gate” Pass. It is said that enormous quantities of jade was traded to Western Regions from China in ancient times, hence the name Yumenguan Pass. Yumenguan Pass is a square-shaped fort standing amid the boundless Gobi desert, stretching 85 feet (26 meters) long from north to south and 79 feet (24 meters) wide from east to west. The wall of the Yumenguan Pass is roughly 10 feet (3 meters) wide at the top and more than 16 feet (5 meters) wide at the bottom. It backs up against a large marshland in south and Hala Lake in north.

Climbing to the top of the Yumenguan Pass, travelers can see the relics of the Great Wall and time-weathered beacon towers scattered sparsely in the vast desert. That is really an terrific experience for travelers. This maybe the reason why so many adventure-lovers who visit here come here again after going back!