Practical! The Yumen Pass Travel Guide You Want Is Here!

Yumen Pass, located in Dunhuang, Gansu, is one of the nine major passes of the world. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, when Zhang Qian was sent as an envoy to the Western Regions, opening the Silk Road and establishing the four commanderies of Hexi, Yumen Pass was set up.

Legend has it that fine jade from Khotan in the Western Regions entered through this pass, hence its name.

The poem "Liangzhou Ci" by Tang dynasty poet Wang Zhihuan made Yumen Pass a household name. The story of the thirteen warriors returning to Yumen Pass in the Eastern Han dynasty added a touch of blood-stained glory. With camel bells jingling and merchants traveling endlessly, it was a time of territorial expansion and fierce valor.

Today, the Gobi Desert outside the pass still exists, with yellow sand swirling. Leaning on the railing and recalling the past, one can't help but imagine the grandeur of those days.

Yumen Pass Travel Tips

☑ Clothing: The temperature difference between day and night in Dunhuang is large. It is recommended to bring warm clothing such as jackets, shawls, and windbreakers. Additionally, the overall temperature is relatively warm, so you can bring short sleeves, dresses, etc. It is advised to bring brightly colored clothes for great photos!

☑ Sun Protection: Sunscreen, hydrating masks, sun hats, and sunglasses.

☑ Tickets: Full-price ticket for the scenic area is 40 yuan, half-price ticket is 20 yuan, and the sightseeing bus ticket is 50 yuan. Tickets can be purchased on the Tuo Xing website or at the scenic area.

☑ Other: Umbrella, cold medicine, and gastrointestinal medicine.

☑ How to Get to Yumen Pass—Every morning at 7:30, there is a direct shuttle bus from the north area of Dunhuang Hotel, which is a regular tourist bus, costing 78 yuan per person. Taxis in Dunhuang also offer charter services, so you can charter a taxi with a few people.

Yumen Pass · The Main Stage for Hanfu

Yumen Pass is the main stage for Hanfu. Even the daily attire of the staff at the tourist service center is Hanfu.

Elegant and dignified Hanfu, with flowing sashes and wide sleeves, upper garment and lower skirt. In the eternal desolation of Yumen Pass, what could be more fitting than wearing Hanfu full of ancient charm and taking photos?

The scenic area offers Hanfu rental at 60 yuan per set, with unlimited time, which is super cost-effective and highly recommended!

Hecang City, also known as Dafangpan City, was mainly used as a military grain storage depot for Yumen Pass during the Han dynasty. Although it has been weathering over time, the ruins remain magnificent and awe-inspiring.

The Shule River flows through the city, connecting the scattered ruins of Hecang City like fallen autumn leaves, stubbornly showing its contours and veins. It narrates the grandeur and glory of this ancient city.

The Han Great Wall, which sounds ancient and imposing, has long been dilapidated. Yet it is precisely this ruin that gives it a sense of historical vicissitude.

The construction of the Han Great Wall was often adapted to local conditions. At that time, the Gobi Desert lacked large stones, so builders used rammed earth and reed layers to build it.

If heaven has feelings, it would grow old; the righteous path in the human world is filled with change. Walking along the Han Great Wall, you can personally experience the historical changes of over two thousand years of wind and rain.

Xiaofangpan City, which is actually the Yumen Pass fortress, is just like its name—a square border fortress standing alone in the lonely Gobi Desert.

The west wind has mottled the city wall with age. When there are no tourists, it appears even more majestic and isolated. Only then can one understand why the ancients wrote such desolate verses as "The spring breeze never crosses Yumen Pass."

Yumen Pass Guided Tour Services

If you want to learn more about the history and culture of Yumen Pass, you can also hire a guide to explain the history of the pass throughout the entire tour~

1 to 10 people: Yumen Pass Exhibition Hall + Yumen Pass: 150 yuan; Yumen Pass Exhibition Hall + Yumen Pass + Dafangpan City + Han Great Wall: 300 yuan

10 to 20 people: Yumen Pass Exhibition Hall + Yumen Pass: 300 yuan; Yumen Pass Exhibition Hall + Yumen Pass + Dafangpan City + Han Great Wall: 600 yuan

21 to 30 people: Yumen Pass Exhibition Hall + Yumen Pass: 600 yuan; Yumen Pass Exhibition Hall + Yumen Pass + Dafangpan City + Han Great Wall: 800 yuan

Over 30 people: Yumen Pass Exhibition Hall + Yumen Pass: 10 yuan per person; Yumen Pass Exhibition Hall + Yumen Pass + Dafangpan City + Han Great Wall: 30 yuan per person

Audio Guide Rental: Chinese 35 yuan per unit, English 40 yuan per unit, deposit 100 yuan per unit.

Yumen Pass Han-Style Dining

Yumen Pass has a Han-style restaurant with an ancient atmosphere. Both the food varieties and set meals are dazzlingly numerous~

And here, you don't just eat; you can also experience the complete Han dynasty dining etiquette, giving you a sense of time travel! It is highly recommended for visitors not to miss it!

In Dunhuang, cold drinks hold a very high status. First, because Dunhuang is dry and hot, and second, because the dietary habits in the northwest region involve a lot of beef and mutton. Therefore, a cold drink after a meal is undoubtedly a great way to cool down and relieve greasiness.

This Hou Xixi Cold Drink shop is a long-established cold drink shop at Yumen Pass. Not only does it offer the internet-favorite sweet fermented barley milk tea of Gansu milk tea, but the prices are also very affordable, without overcharging just because it is located in a scenic area.

Yumen Pass Souvenirs

The Dunhuang Cultural and Creative Shop at Yumen Pass is filled with a wide variety of souvenirs with novel designs, full of Dunhuang elements, and they also provide mailing services!

Nine-colored deer color-changing bag, nine-colored deer 55°C cup, colorful Dunhuang silk scarf, camel necklace of the sand sea, lotus shadow night talk night light; Luobuma flower series, pearl series of the sand sea, music and dance flying apsaras series...

If you come to Dunhuang, you must visit the market~

Do you know any poems or stories related to Yumen Pass?

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