Longmen Gorge (Yumenkou)
禹门口
The throat where the Yellow River bursts out of the Jin–Shaanxi gorge, with cliffs on either side like a gate. Legend says Yu the Great cut the passage here, and it is the origin of the saying “carp leaping the Dragon Gate.”
Yumenkou lies about 25 km north of Hancheng. Here, the Yellow River bursts from a gorge less than 100 m wide and spreads into a broad river. Cliffs on both sides resemble gates. Anciently called “Longmen” (Dragon Gate), it was said that Yu the Great cut open the gorge while controlling the floods, and that a carp leaping upstream past it would turn into a dragon. Today, several Yellow River bridges span the gorge, connecting Hancheng in Shaanxi with Hejin in Shanxi. On the Shaanxi side, viewpoints let you look out over the gorge and the bridges. You can also visit the Longmen ancient town on the opposite bank. Self-driving or hiring a car is best, and the site can be combined with Dangjia Village on the same day.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Liangdai Village Rui State Site Museum
- Dangjia Village
- Hancheng Dayu Temple
- Hancheng Golden Pagoda
- Hancheng City God Temple
- Hancheng Ancient City
- Hancheng Confucian Temple
- Sima Ancient Town