Why did Yumen Pass get its name?

Yumen Pass, located in Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province, China, is one of the important passes on the ancient Silk Road. It is named for its unique historical and cultural background and geographical environment. This article will explore the reason why Yumen Pass got its name from the aspects of history, culture and geographical environment.

1. Historical and cultural background

In ancient times, Yumen Pass was an important pass on the Silk Road, connecting China and the Western Regions. It is not only a hub of economic and trade, but also an important place for cultural exchanges. The area around Yumenguan was once the starting point of the Silk Road in the Han Dynasty and an important channel for political, economic and cultural exchanges between the Han Dynasty and other countries in the Western Regions. Many important historical events and figures have occurred here, such as Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions, Ban Chao's pacification of the Western Regions, etc. The existence of these historical events and characters gives Yumen Pass an important position and influence in history.

In addition, Yumen Pass is also famous for its unique cultural heritage. A large number of historical relics and cultural sites have been discovered inside and outside the pass, such as the Yumenguan City Site, the Yumenguan Beacon Tower, and the Yumenguan Stele Forest. These cultural heritages bear witness to the historical vicissitudes and cultural prosperity of Yumen Pass, and provide valuable historical information and research materials for future generations.

2. Perfect combination of geographical environment

Yumen Pass is located at the west end of the Hexi Corridor, and its geographical location is very important. It is located in the strategic area of ​​the upper reaches of the Yellow River, with the Gobi Desert to the north and the Qilian Mountains to the south. The terrain is difficult. This geographical environment makes Yumen Pass an important part of the military defense line, and it has experienced many wars and strategic decisions in history. At the same time, this geographical environment also provides unique conditions for the development of Yumen Pass. There are abundant water and land resources in the pass, which are suitable for the development of agriculture and animal husbandry. The existence of these resources made Yumenguan a prosperous trading city.

In terms of geographical environment, Yumen Pass is also unique in that it is located in the transition zone between desert and grassland. This geographical feature makes the climate of Yumenguan unique, with both the dryness of the desert and the moisture of the grassland, forming a unique ecological environment. This ecological environment not only has an important impact on local vegetation and animals, but also provides rich resources and tourist attractions for the development of Yumen Pass.

To sum up, Yumen Pass is named after its unique historical and cultural background and geographical environment. The historical and cultural background makes Yumen Pass have an important position and influence in history, and the geographical environment provides unique conditions for the development of Yumen Pass. Yumen Pass is named after the perfect combination of the two, making it a treasure on the Silk Road and one of the important heritages of Chinese history and culture.

References:

1. Zhang Qian’s mission to the Western Regions: https://baike.baidu.com/item/Zhang Qian’s mission to the Western Regions/14028

2 . Ban Chao pacified the Western Regions: https://baike.baidu.com/item/Ban Chao pacified the Western Regions/162714