Yanmenguan

Yanmen Pass is definitely worth a visit; it's not hot even in the height of summer. The view from the city tower is magnificent and awe-inspiring. I'd like to plan a trip when it's snowing heavily; that would be even more wonderful.

Entering from the northern parking lot of Yanmen Pass, you can take a sightseeing bus to Yanmen Village. Time is limited, so a 2-3 hour visit is planned. The route is: Wengcheng (outer wall) - North Gate - West Beacon Tower - West Gate (with a horse racing track in front) - East Beacon Tower - East Gate (China's First Pass) - Yanmen Temple - Training Ground - Exit through the North Factory Gate - Border Trade Street - Yanmen Village (return). The main city of Yanmen Pass is not large, but the area between the beacon towers and the east and west gates is quite steep. We didn't continue climbing the Yanmen Pagoda and Stele Forest on the east side due to lack of energy and time constraints. We slowly explored the existing route, taking about 2 hours. The war drums on the city gates are enormous; their resounding beat is exhilarating and clearly audible from the beacon tower.

The Great Wall in winter is worth seeing. It's recommended to go around noon when the wind is calm and the sun is shining, so it won't be too cold. However, you should still bring a thick scarf, gloves, hat, and thick, non-slip cotton shoes. The stairs may be icy, and some steps are quite high, so be careful. You can see frost-covered pine trees, which is a different kind of scenery from spring and summer. If you drive to the North Gate, it's closer to the scenic area. There's a shuttle bus that costs 10 yuan per person round trip. Once you get off the bus, you can start climbing the Great Wall. You can take some photos and it takes about an hour. There are routes available, divided into four routes according to different physical conditions, so choose according to your needs. Along the way, you'll pass a food street with guesthouses and travel photography shops, and the prices are not expensive.

Yanmen Pass is worth visiting because it has become the spiritual symbol of our Chinese nation. At the scene, we can recall the tragic and tragic battlefields of the past from the majestic and magnificent gate towers, the bumpy stone roads, and the vast scenery outside the Great Wall, and feel the lofty spirit of our Chinese nation that has been indomitable and resisting foreign invasions for thousands of years, enhance national cohesion, and love our long-standing Chinese civilization even more.

There are not many original city walls and towers, most of them were built later, the surrounding scenery is good, the door is closed in the mountains and magnificent, lamenting how difficult it was for the soldiers who guarded the border. Now the scenic spot has put the parking lot about two kilometers away from the entrance. You have to take the scenic bus for two minutes to the entrance to check the ticket. The bus is ten yuan to and from the bus. To be honest, it is not too expensive to enter too many cars during the peak season, but it is not necessary for non-holidays. Why don't you give in to the empty self-driving car in the parking lot at the entrance. The commercial atmosphere of the whole attraction is too strong, and the shops on both sides of the road make people feel that the border is not majestic.

As a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction, Yanmen Pass is commented on as follows: 1. Historical and cultural value Yanmen Pass is located in Yanmen Mountain, about 20 kilometers north of Dai County, Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province. It is an important pass on the Great Wall, known for its "danger". It is known as the "No. 1 Pass in China". There is a saying that "Yanmen is the first of the nine passes in the world". Since the Warring States Period, Yanmen Pass has been a battleground for military strategists of all dynasties and has extremely high historical and cultural value. It is a grand military defense project at the ancient Chinese pass, witnessing countless historical events and legendary stories of heroes. II. Scenic Area Features and Landscapes ‌Guancheng and the Great Wall‌: Yanmenguan Scenic Area has historical buildings such as Guancheng and the Great Wall, which show the unique charm of frontier culture. Military defense remains: There are also historical buildings of different forms in the scenic area, such as pass cities, military forts, beacon towers, and post stations. These remains bear witness to the glorious history of Yanmen Pass as an important military defense town. Cultural attractions: The main attractions include Qianyaopu Post Station, Fugezhai Folk Village, Ancient Pass Road, Guanyin Pavilion, Zhuangshi Pavilion, Yunji Spring, Yanchi, Zhenbian Temple, etc. Each attraction is rich in cultural connotations and historical stories. 3. Visitors’ experience and evaluation ‌Tour experience‌: Visitors can take the scenic area bus to the scenic area and enjoy the frontier scenery along the way. After entering the scenic area, you can stroll along the ancient pass and feel the weight and vicissitudes of history. Climbing up ancient buildings such as Mingyue Tower, you can overlook the beauty of the entire scenic area and appreciate the unique charm of frontier culture. Cultural Experience: There are also a variety of cultural activities in the scenic area, such as watching performances of ancient city defense equipment such as gate-blocking carts and battering rams, and visiting cultural attractions such as the Guandi Temple, so that tourists can have a deeper understanding of the history and culture of Yanmen Pass. ‌Tourist evaluation‌: According to public information, the Yanmen Pass Scenic Area is rated 4.6 out of 5, indicating that tourists' overall experience and evaluation of the scenic area are quite high. Tourists generally believe that the scenic area has a strong historical and cultural atmosphere, rich and diverse attractions, and a very pleasant tour experience. IV. Summary and Suggestions To sum up, Yanmen Pass, as a tourist attraction integrating historical culture, natural landscape and tourist experience, has extremely high sightseeing value and historical and cultural significance. For tourists who like history, culture and frontier scenery, Yanmen Pass is undoubtedly a tourist destination not to be missed. It is recommended that tourists plan their travel plans in advance and arrange their travel time reasonably so as to better appreciate the charm and flavor of Yanmen Pass. At the same time, we should also pay attention to protecting the cultural relics and natural environment in the scenic area, and jointly create a civilized and harmonious tourism environment.

Yanmen Pass has extremely high historical, cultural, military and tourism value. The following are some common evaluations of Yanmen Pass: ### Historical Status - **A place of contention among military strategists**: "Yanmen is the first of the nine barriers in the world". From the 10th century BC to the last century, there were more than a thousand battles near Yanmen Pass. Many famous generals such as Wei Qing, Huo Qubing, and Yang Jiajiang had made military exploits here. It has witnessed countless wars and has an extremely important position in the ancient Chinese military history. It is a veritable place of contention among military strategists. - **Historical Witness**: From the establishment of Yanmen County by King Wuling of Zhao during the Warring States Period, to Meng Tian's attack on the Huns in the north during the Qin Dynasty, the siege of Baideng in the Han Dynasty, Zhaojun's departure from the frontier, to the Yang Jiajiang's resistance to the Liao army during the Song-Liao confrontation, Yanmen Pass witnessed many major events in Chinese history. The history of Yanmen Pass can be called half of the history of China. ### Cultural Value - **Source of inspiration for poetry and songs**: Many literati and poets have left a large number of popular poems and songs here, such as Li He's "Song of the Governor of Yanmen" "Black clouds press down on the city and the city is about to collapse, the armor shines towards the sun and the golden scales open", Wang Zhihuan's "Climbing the Stork Tower" "The sun sets behind the mountains, and the Yellow River flows into the sea. If you want to see a thousand miles, climb to a higher level", etc. These poems not only show the magnificence of Yanmen Pass, but also enrich the treasure house of ancient Chinese literature, making it a unique symbol in Chinese culture. - **The intersection of multiple cultures**: Yanmen Pass is located at the junction of the Central Plains and the outside of the Great Wall, and the agricultural and nomadic civilizations. In peacetime, it is also an important commercial port for Shanxi merchants to trade, witnessing the exchanges and integration between different nationalities and cultures, and has rich and diverse cultural connotations. ### Military value - **Trendy terrain, easy to defend and difficult to attack**: Yanmen Pass is located on the ridge of Gouzhu Mountain, with a very dangerous terrain. It has the momentum of "one man guarding the pass, ten thousand men cannot open it". Its unique geographical location makes it a natural military fortress and an important line of defense for the Central Plains Dynasty to resist the invasion of northern nomadic peoples. It plays a pivotal role in military defense. - **Great strategic significance**: It is not only a barrier to prevent northern nomadic peoples from moving south, but also a springboard for the Central Plains Dynasty to march north to conquer. It plays an important role in maintaining the security and stability of the Central Plains region, as well as the unity and territorial integrity of the country. ### Tourism value - **Magnificent landscape**: Yanmen Pass consists of a pass city, a urn city and a siege city. The city walls are tall and solid, the pass city is majestic, the surrounding mountains are undulating, the Great Wall is winding, the scenery is very spectacular, and it is highly ornamental, attracting many tourists to come and watch. - **Rich tourism resources**: In addition to the pass itself, there are many historical sites and cultural landscapes such as the Wall of Celebrities, Li Mu Temple, and Princess Cave, as well as historical stories and legends related to them, providing tourists with a rich tourism experience. ### Architectural value - **Outstanding representative of ancient architecture**: The layout of the Yanmen Pass is rigorous and fully functional. The city walls, gates, towers and other architectural craftsmanship are exquisite, reflecting the superb architectural technology and wisdom of ancient times. It is one of the outstanding representatives of ancient Chinese architectural art.

Shanxi has beautiful scenery, a world cultural heritage, Yanmen Pass in Dai County, Xinzhou. It is a national 5A scenic spot, which is still worth visiting. It is said that it has a history of more than 3,000 years. Yanmen Pass is half of the history of China, and the famous story of the Yang Family Generals. It happened here. Wang Zhaojun also went out of the pass from here. The scenery in the scenic area is good, and a four-year-old baby can climb up. Pay attention to sun protection, and umbrellas and sun hats are indispensable. There are a few foods in the scenic area, but not many. By the way, everyone must drive to the north gate. There are many scenic spots at the north gate. If you drive to the south gate and there is nothing, it will be very troublesome.