Yangguan Pass
阳关
Yangguan, the gate on the southern Silk Road, made famous by the line “Westward from Yangguan, no old friends.” Han-dynasty beacon towers stand on the dunes, and visitors can stamp a replica “travel pass” at the reconstructed gate.
The Yangguan ruins lie about 70 km southwest of Dunhuang city, in Nanhu Township. The name means “south of Yumen Pass,” and the site was the exit gate of the southern Silk Road in the Han dynasty. Wang Wei’s farewell poem, “Drink one more cup of wine, westward from Yangguan there are no old friends,” made it known to almost everyone. The original gate was buried long ago by shifting sand. The most striking remnant is a Han-dynasty beacon tower standing on Dundun Hill. From beside the tower you can overlook the “Antique Beach” to the south, named for the Han-era artifact fragments often unearthed there, as well as the distant oasis and desert. The scenic area (entrance about 50 yuan) includes a reconstructed Han-style gate, and a museum displaying Silk Road artifacts and Han frontier systems. For a few dozen yuan you can get a “travel pass” stamped as a souvenir. You can also reach the beacon tower on horseback or by donkey cart. Nanhu Township is famous for grapes, and from August to September you can buy cheap fresh grapes and raisins. Most visitors spend half a day on Yangguan and the Dunhuang Film Set, or combine Yangguan with Yumen Pass and the Yardang landforms in one day, which makes for a rushed schedule. Note: the area around the beacon tower is a protected heritage zone, so do not climb it. Summer sun is intense, so bring plenty of water.
Opening hours
08:00–18:30
Nearby sights
- Western Thousand Buddha Caves
- Dunhuang 100MW Molten Salt Solar Tower
- Yumen Pass
- Dunhuang Ancient City Film Set
- Hecang Fortress (Dafangpan City)
- Han Dynasty Great Wall Ruins, Dunhuang
- White Horse Pagoda
- Dunhuang Museum