Jiayuguan (pass)

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Jiayuguan
Jiayuguan Fort

Jiayuguan Fort

Compass direction west east
region Gansu , People's Republic of China
Valley locations Yumendongzhen Jiayuguan
expansion Pass road
map
Jiayuguan (Pass) (China)
Jiayuguan (pass)
Coordinates 39 ° 48 '4 "  N , 98 ° 12' 58"  E Coordinates: 39 ° 48 '4 "  N , 98 ° 12' 58"  E
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Jiayuguan Fort (14th century)
Section of the great wall at the fort
Jiayuguan Fort

Jiayuguan or Jiayu Pass ( Chinese  嘉峪關  /  嘉峪关 , Pinyin Jiāyù Guān  - "Pass to the Praised Valley") is the first crossing at the western end of the Great Wall of China near the city of Jiayuguan in Gansu Province . Together with Juyongguan and Shanhaiguan , it is one of the most important crossings of the Great Wall.

location

The pass is at the narrowest point of the western section of the Hexi Corridor , six kilometers southwest of Jiayuguan City . The pass structure is located between two hills, one of which is called "Jiayuguan Hill". It was built near an oasis , which at the time was on the extreme western border of China.

description

Jiayuguan consists of three lines of defense: an inner and an outer city and a moat. The pass structure is trapezoidal , it has a circumference of about 740 m and an area of ​​more than 33,500 m². The height of the surrounding wall is 11 meters. There are two gates in the wall, one on the east side and one on the west, and a turret is placed on each corner of the wall . There is a building above each gate, and a plaque with the Chinese inscription "Jiayuguan" is placed on the western building. The north and south sides of the complex are connected to the Great Wall. On the north side, the gates are connected to wide roads that lead up to the top of the pass.

Legend and history

The structure was originally built around 1372 in the early Ming Dynasty . The fortress was significantly expanded and strengthened between 1488 and 1506 and after 1539.

A fairytale legend tells of the careful planning that was necessary to build the pass. Accordingly, the builder of the facility was asked by the officer in charge how many stones were needed for the construction, and he gave him the exact number. The officer doubts his answer and asked him whether these were really enough stones. The builder then added a brick. When construction was finished, a brick was left that was loosely placed on one of the gatehouses where it is still today.

meaning

Of the passages on the Great Wall, Jiayuguan is the most fully preserved military building. The pass is also known under the name 天下第一 雄关 (“First and Greatest Pass under Heaven”). This should not be confused with 天下第一 关 (“First Pass Under Heaven”), a name for Shanhaiguan at the east end of the Great Wall near Qinhuangdao , Hebei .

The pass had a key function as a way station in the course of the old Silk Road . The Jiayuguan area is home to some of China's historical sites, such as the Mogao Grottoes , and many frescoes have been found in the area.

The Jiayuguan section of the Great Wall ( 万里长城 - 嘉峪关 , Wanli Changcheng - Jiayuguan ) has been on the List of Monuments of the People's Republic of China (1-103) since 1961 .

Remarks

  1. ↑ The term “Jiayuguan pass”, which is also used, is a tautology - and therefore unnecessary - since “guan” is the Chinese word for “pass”.

Web links

Commons : The great wall at Jiayuguan  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Wikiquote: Jiayuguan  - Quotes