玉门关 — Attraction in Jiuquan

Really lovely location to visit - so much history in such a beautiful, challenging environment. We went in January which was bitterly cold, but with good Winter clothing it was fine and gave a real sense of the location’s isolation. Plus there was almost no-one else there at 9:30am, so we had the whole place to ourselves.

The visit is well organised - you get taken to three different sites by bus, and then get to explore each place. Sometimes wanted a little longer in each location. But it’s such a beautiful place to be,...

We went in the middle of a sandstorm like idiots. On the plus side we were the only two people there. You really need someone to explain this site to you otherwise learn to read Chinese. You enter the park and pay for a ticket plus a shuttle ride. Shuttle brings you to the Han wall and also a grainery. See this and also yangguan in the south to see both...

关山月【唐】李白 THE MOON OVER THE PASS by Li Bai (Tang Dynasty) 明月出天山， The bright moon rises over the Sky Mountains, 苍茫云海间。 Floating in vasty seas of cloud and night. 长风几万里， The long wind comes through thousands of miles, 吹度玉门关。 All the way past the Gate of Jade (Yumen Pass). 汉下白登道， Han army marches towards the Bai(White)-Deng Way, 胡窥青海湾。 When the Hun coveted for the Qing(Cyan) Lake Shores. 由来征战地， For all the long-standing battlefields, 不见有人还。 Soldiers are seldom seen return. 戍客望边色， Guards overlooks the border city, 思归多苦颜。 Yearning for home, with gloom paints on his face. 高楼当此夜， Those in high towers in such a night, 叹息未应闲。 Would look afar with...