The most important mountain pass during Three Kingdom period

#sichuanattractions One of the reasons that made me threw in Guangyuan as one of the stops during my trip to Sichuan was JianMen Pass. Located in northern Sichuan near Guangyuan, it is one of China’s most iconic and historically significant mountain passes. Nestled within the steep cliffs of the Dajian Mountain range, the pass forms a dramatic natural gateway known for its narrow, sword-like shape—hence the name “Sword Gate Pass.” Thus making it a key strategic military point in ancient times, famously fortified by Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms period to protect the state of Shu. The admission fee is 100yuan. HOWEVER, if you can memorize the ancient Chinese paragraph of 蜀道难, the fee is waived. It’s pretty darn long, but fret not, as an international traveler, as long as you managed to swallow in a paragraph or two, they would be impressed and let you through!