Hangu Pass
函谷关
The ancient road of the Qin Pass, where “one man at the pass can hold off ten thousand.” Legend says Laozi wrote the Dao De Jing here, making it a pilgrimage site for Daoist culture.
Hangu Pass in Lingbao is the site of the Qin Hangu Pass from the Warring States period. The pass road is squeezed between deep valleys and is linked to famous stories such as “purple qi from the east” and “cock-crow and dog-stealing.” Legend says that when Laozi traveled west and left through the pass, he wrote the five thousand characters of the Dao De Jing at the request of the pass warden, Yin Xi. The scenic area includes a rebuilt pass tower, the Taichu Palace, the Cock-Crow Terrace and the ancient Hangu road. The Taichu Palace is said to be where the text was written. The site is in Hangu Town, Lingbao City, about 1 hour by car from Sanmenxia city centre and about 20 minutes by taxi from Lingbao city centre. The ancient road has gravel sections, so wear flat shoes. (Note that the Han-dynasty Hangu Pass in Xin'an, Luoyang, is a different site.)
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–18:00 (check scenic area notices)