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Jiayuguan Great Wall, also known as Jiayuguan Pass, is located in the southwest part of Jiayuguan City in Gansu Province.The city of Jiayuguan where the pass is located is named after the pass, also called Jiayuguan, sitting in China’s northwest Gansu Province.Covering an area of 33,529 square meters. Jiayu Pass was also a vital traffic fort along the Silk Road, the world's oldest trading route, connecting China, Central Asia and Europe.

History of Jiyuguan Great Wall

Jiayuguan Great Wall is a pass which was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644)  under the supervision of Feng Sheng, a founding general of the Ming Dynasty. When first completed, there were only ramparts surrounding the barracks. After 168 years of enhancements, the pass assumed its present appearance.Jiayuguan Great Wall was built with rammed earth, making yellow its dominant hue and helping the pass blend harmoniously with the surrounding desert. 

The castle was begun in 1372 in the Ming Dynasty and located in the Jiayu Highland, hence its name Jiayuguan Pass. It is situated between the Wenshu and Heishan Mountains at the foot of Jiayuguan Hill of Qilian Mountain. It is the first pass at the west end of the Great Wall of China and is well-known as "the Impregnable Pass under the Heaven". It is also the most magnificent and best-preserved pass among the total over one thousand passes along the Great Wall of China. It one welcomed Zhang Qian, an official who visited the West as a diplomat of China in the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 25), Ban Chao in the Eastern Han dynasty (A.D. 25-220), an imperial envoy to Central Asia, and later Xuan Zhuang, the eminent Buddhist pilgrim of the Tang dynasty (618-907) who traveled to India in quest of Buddhist scriptures. Besides, the famous Silk Road also passed through here.

What to see ?

Jiayuguan Pass of Great Wall has a complex and integrated defensive system: an inner city, the central area with many buildings, an outer city, and finally a moat. You can also find common military facilities such as arrow towers, turrets, and cannons along the wall.

The Inner City

Encompassing an area of six acres (25,000 square meters), the inner city is enclosed by a city wall which runs for 700 yards (640 meters) and reaches a height of 36 feet (11 meters). It has two gates in the east and west respectively, known as the Guanghua and Rouyuan. Each gate is protected by a smaller guard tower and a barbican in front, forming another defensive screen for the inner city.

The Outer City

The Outer City is another barrier forming the first defensive line of the pass. As the major defensive point, the west wall of the outer city was built up with bricks, making it very solid. There is a three-story tower with a plaque that reads 'Tian Xia Di Yi Xiong Guan' (the First and Greatest Pass under Heaven) to state the military importance and strength of Jiayu Pass.

Youji General's Office: It was the location in the inner city where the generals guarding Jiayu Pass dealt with military affairs. The meeting hall in the front yard reproduces the scene of generals planning military strategy, while you can have a rough idea of the living situation of the generals' families in the back yard.

Wenchang Hall: It is a two-story pavilion in front of the inner city. It follows the same design style as the gate towers and is decorated with lattice doors and windows. The pavilion was once a great meeting place for literati to read, paint and compose poetry until the late Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911). After that, it became the work place of civil officials.

Temple of Guan Yu: Outside the east barbican, it is a place where people pay homage to Guan Yu, an invincible general of the Kingdom of Shu (221 – 263).

Opera Tower: It is located near the east barbican outside the inner city. In old times, soldiers, local residents and traveling merchants often relaxed by watching operas there. Chinese cultural symbols such as red pillars, upswept cornices, exquisitely carved beams, and murals of the Eight Immortals can be found there.

Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum: It is at the east gate of the scenic area and looks like a giant white beacon tower. Here, you can better understand the architectural history of this huge defense line and have a look at the old weapons and paintings of the Great Wall.

Jiayuguan Pass is not only endowed with geographical advantages, but excellent topographical and environmental features. It faces the Gobi, a vast open terrain that once served as a battle ground in ancient times. To its south is the trubulent Taolai River and the Wenshu Mountain and on its inner side lies a smooth terrain made of oases, fertile pasture land with adequate water sources.

Travel Tips
Add: 6 km west of Downtown Jiayuguan, Gansu Province
Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00
Entrance Fee: CNY 50
TeL: 0937-6396110