Hangu Pass

Mountain pass in China

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Hangu Pass or Hanguguan is a pass separating the upper Yellow River and Wei valleys—the cradle of Chinese civilization and seat of its longtime capital Xi'an—from the fertile North China Plain. It lies on the south bank of the Yellow River just east of its eastward bend out of the Ordos Loop at Tong Pass in Shaanxi. It was the site of many battles during the Warring States and early imperial eras, when it was the chokepoint shielding Qin, Guanzhong, or Luoyang from outside attack. The term Hangu Pass refers to two locations: the Qin dynasty Hangu Pass in Hanguguan Town, Lingbao county, Sanmenxia city, Henan and secondly, the Han dynasty Hangu Pass in Xin’an county, Luoyang city, Henan. In 2014, the archeological site was recognized by UNESCO as part of the “Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor” World Heritage Site.^[1]

History

Chinese legend states that Lao-tzu wrote his Tao Te Ching at the insistence of Yinxi,^[2] an astrologer and the guard at Hangu Pass, before leaving for the west.^[3]

The state of Qin fortified the pass in 361 BC as its eastern border,^[4] protecting access to their homeland from the armies of the other Warring States competing to succeed the Zhou. It continued to protect the Guanzhong area of the Qin and Western Han empires. Under the Eastern Han that succeeded Wang Mang's "Xin dynasty", its fortifications protected the capital Luoyang in the other direction, staving off attacks coming from the west and northwest.

After the fall of the Han and rise of the Three Kingdoms, the Hangu Pass lost most of its importance as the primary fortifications moved a little west to Tong Pass.

Discovery of Han dynasty Hangu Pass site

Between 2012 and 2013 a team from the Luoyang Cultural Relics and Archaeological Institution conducted an archaeological excavation at the site in Xin'an, Luoyang, on an area of more than 3,000 square meters. This excavation brought several roads, platforms and walls to light.^[5] Today, the archaeological site of the Hangu Pass in Xin’an is a museum park.

Hangu Pass in fiction

In Kingdom manga and anime, this pass was the last chokepoint that Li Mu and his 5 allied Coalition Army needed to overcome in order to defeat Qin. Their attacks were repelled with great losses, forcing Li Mu to make a decision of attacking Xianyang via Zui.

See also

• Sanmenxia
• Tong Pass
• Wu Pass

References

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Mountain passes of China

Geography of China

On the border

Kazakhstan	Dzungarian Gate
Kyrgyzstan	Bedel Pass Irkeshtam Pass Torugart Pass
Tajikistan	Beyik Pass Kulma Pass Nezatash Pass
Afghanistan	Wakhjir Pass Tegermansu Pass
Pakistan	Khunjerab Pass Kilik Pass Mintaka Pass Mustagh Pass
India	Bum La Pass Cho La Diphu Pass Dongkha La Indira Col Jelep La Karakoram Pass Kepang La Kongka Pass Lipulekh Pass Mana Pass Nathu La Rezang La Shipki La Spanggur Gap Tulung La
Nepal	Korala Lho La Nangpa La South Col
Myanmar	Diphu Pass Isu Razi Pass
Vietnam	Friendship Pass

In the interior

On the Great Wall	Dajingmen Gubeikou Jiayu Pass Huangya Pass Jingxing Pass Juyong Pass Niangzi Pass Pingxing Pass (Pingxingguan) Shanhai Pass (Shanhaiguan) Yang Pass Yanmen Pass Yumen Pass
Guanzhong area	Dasan Pass (Sanguan) Tong Pass (Tongguan) Wu Pass
Xinjiang area	Dehra La Hindutash Iron Gate Pass Kirgizjangal Pass (Heiqia) Mazar Pass Muzart Pass Sanju Pass
Tibet area	Cherko la Laken La Lanak La Lhagba La Mayum La North Col Semo La Tanggula Pass
Other	Biandukou Cho La, Sichuan Hangu Pass Hulao Pass Jianmen Pass Kunlun Pass Lazikou Pass Mei Pass

• Landforms of China
• List of gaps in Hong Kong

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