Brief information on Jiayuguan Pass  

Jiayuguan Pass, the starting point of the Great Wall western section, was constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Situated at the base of a narrow valley, about 6 kilometers (4 miles) southwest of Jiayuguan City, the pass covers an area of 33,500 square meters (eight acres). It was named after one of its surrounding hills, Jiayu, and is a well-preserved section of the Great Wall till now and also the most imposing and steepest one among the over one thousand passes.

The construction of the Jiayuguan Pass can date back to the year of 1372 and have lasted for 168 years. Legend on it is that a troublesome official set out a tough problem to the chief worker in charge of the construction, which was that he was required to evaluate the construction project carefully and make the material forecast precisely without any mistake. With the help of all workers, the chief worker figured out the accurate result. Therefore, at the end of the project completion, all the prepared materials were used up in line with the forecast the chief worker made, only one brick left, called “the last one brick”. At present, this brick is still lying on the wall of Huiji Gate, and becomes a must-see attraction because it represents the exquisite craftsmanship and wisdom of ancient Chinese people.

*You can download the bilingual note to show it to a taxi driver or someone else to find your way to Jiayuguan Pass if you plan to visit Jiayuguan Pass and have language problems.

   

Hours:8:30-20:00 (during summer and autumn)
          8:30-18:00 (during winter and spring)
Address:Six kilometers southwest of Jiayuguan City