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image of Tiananmen gateimage of the seventeen arch bridge in Yiheyuan

Walk through Beijing's great attractions -- 故宫Gugong (The Palace Museum), 天坛Tiantan (Temple of Heaven), 天坛天安门广场Tiananmen Square, 颐和园Yiheyuan (Summer Palace).

三关口Sanguankou Pass

is located 40 km. southwest of 银川市Yinchuan city, the provincial capital city of 宁夏回族自治区Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. This pass is at the south end of 贺兰山Helan Shan, the mountain range that separates northwest Ningxia and Neimenggu (Inner Mongolia). Historically, Mongolian horsemen crossed this openning on their way south to attack the Central Plains; so the pass has been of great military importance. A quick glance at the map will tell why Sanguankou is strategic: to the west of the pass is the great expanse of the 腾格里沙漠Tenggeli (Tengger) Desert where nothing can stay alive in its midst; so only along the western foot of Helan mountains were towns setup. And along this north and south span of Helan Shan, the Mongolian horsemen came rushing down every hungry winter. Ghengis Klan himself led his cavaliers through Sanguankou, then known as 赤木口Chimukou, to attack the 西夏王国Western Xia kingdom, whose citizens were so adamant that it took the life of Ghengis to wipe out its last child and flatten its every living space. Today, the only solid proof of this mysterious kingdom's existence is the remains of its royal tombs. These unique cone-shaped tombs dotted the area north of the pass, on the east foot of Helan Shan.

The Great Wall at Sanguankou was constructed during the 明朝Ming dynasty (1368-1644), in the tenth year of 嘉靖Jiajing (1531). Nine years later, the Wall was rebuilt again because the earlier Wall was levelled by sandstorms. The new Wall was a composite of local gravels, and imported soil and water. It runs about 80 km. south, across level plains in an almost straight arrow, til it ends not far from the right angle bend of 黄河Huang He (Yellow River). Today, a major highway runs through it at the pass, connecting Yinchuan city and 阿拉善左旗Alashanzuoqi in Inner Mongolia.

I took the bus to 巴彦Bayan, and when I saw the Wall emerged from the dead hills, I asked the driver to drop me off. A sign beside the road states "内蒙古边界Inner Mongolia borderline". I walked about half a kilometer of the Wall. It was easy walk. Nothing blocked my way because there was nothing but gravels and bald hills. But there was the chronic sounds of roaring construction machines from behind another hill, and I saw the dust and smoke rose from there. Unlike the eastern Wall, this one runs straight on flat lands. I let my eyes follow its relentless march toward the distant emptiness til my eyeballs stuck on a pack of gravestones sticking up beside the Wall. I stayed an hour or two at the Wall; then headed back to the road and hailed for a vehicle to get me to 西夏王陵Western Xia's royal tombs.

Travel Info
image of Pingyao streetimage of the main gate tower to the Chang family's compound and gardern

The compounds and manors of the extreme wealthy in 山西Shanxi's small towns and villages. See the old town of 平遥Pingyao with well-preserved Ming and Qing city wall and street layout.

image of Tulufan's Emin Minaretimage of the ruins in Tulufan's Gaochang Ruins

See 吐鲁番Tulufan's well-known attractions -- 苏公塔Sugonta (Emin Minaret), 高昌城Gaochang Ruins, and 火焰山Huoyan Shan (Flaming Mountains).

三关口长城San Guan Kou Great Wall

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall

    In the background is the 贺兰山Helan Shan Mountains. Sanguankou Great Wall runs parallel to this mountain range that is now the natural borderline between 宁夏回族自治区Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and 内蒙古Neimenggu (Inner Mongolia).

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall

    In the distance, besides the great wall, were numerous graves. But they they are too tiny to been seen on this online image. Beyond the Wall is the 贺兰山Helan Shan Mountains. Sanguankou Great Wall runs parallel to this mountain range that is now the natural borderline between 宁夏回族自治区Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and 内蒙古Neimenggu (Inner Mongolia).

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall
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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall
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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall
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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall
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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall
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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall
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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall
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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall

    The Wall was constructed of gravel binded together with earth and water, so it is very solid and durable.

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall

    Sanguankou great wall is on the borderline between 宁夏回族自治区Ningxia and 内蒙古Neimenggu (Inner Mongolia) on the north. Here I was on Inner Mongolia side — northwest side of the Wall.

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall

    The Wall can reach as high as 7 meters and as wide as 6 meters, but averages about 4 meters high.

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall
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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall

    This whole area is just rocky hills and mountains.

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall

    There is nothing here but wasteland. At a distance away from the Wall, behind a hill, I heard thunderous wailings of construction machines, and clouds of smoke and dust would rise.

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall
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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall - Highway

    The major road near the Wall.

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall

    The marks of heavy machines. Gravels for construction lay in large piles in the area.

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall - sheeps

    I was on a cargo truck when I saw this herd of sheeps. I could not resist getting off for a close up look.

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall - sheeps

    Besides the sheeps, there were also horses fenced off besides the highway.

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall - sheeps
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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall

    The desolate landscape in the area.

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     三关口长城 Sanguankou Great Wall

    The desolate landscape in the area.

portrait of a Uygur girl

Travelogues and travel notes

Travel Information

Getting There:

From 银川市Yinchuan city's 南门汽车站Nanmen (South Gate) Bus Station, take the bus(Y10) to 巴彦Bayan (on the bus, it was written 巴音Bayin, but I could not find this location on my map. Either I wrote it incorrectingly or the sign was written incorrectly.) and ask the driver to drop you off somewhere at the Sanguankou Wall. Have your eyes on the lookout for the Wall and get off where you see fit. My first bus driver forgot to drop me off and I did not notice the wall; so for 1.5 hours I was whistling along barren red-brown hills that lined both sides of the road. I got off and waited on the lone road with the wind smacking me for being unattentive. On the bus back, my head was glued to the window. So be aware: the Wall is easily hidden by the hills beside the road.

Entrance Ticket:

None that I know of.