Biandukou - the most convenient choke point in the Gansu-Qinghai Passage

In the middle section of the rolling Qilian Mountains, there is a mountain gorge passage that connects Gansu and Qinghai provinces. It is the dangerous passage called Biandukou by the ancients as the "Dadou Valley". "Biandukou" is the pronunciation of "Bianmaduo" in Tibetan, which means golden dew plum. It is a low shrub in the Qilian Mountains with a large number of delicate flowers. They are usually golden yellow, but also white and pink. Every summer, Biandukou Canyon blooms with golden plum blossoms all over the mountains and plains, hence its name.

Biandukou is the most convenient and important section from eastern Qinghai to the Hexi Corridor in Gansu. It has played an important role in military, commerce, and ethnic exchanges in China's past dynasties. Biandukou is not just a pass. The old name "Dadou Bagou" refers to a dangerous and long valley. In ancient times, it was an important passage for Guanlong and Hehuang areas to enter the Hexi Corridor and lead to the Western Regions. Biandukou Canyon is a dangerous and deep valley, nearly one kilometer long, sometimes wide and sometimes narrow, making it extremely dangerous. Hao Daozun of the Qing Dynasty wrote in "The Big Fight to Pull the Valley": "The air is roaring in the Biandu Pass, and the streams are deep in the mountains. The wind is strong, and the Sui Emperor is miserable and drenched in the rain. The Chao chariot goes up to Longshan to look at it, and there is no rest. Jiaoluwu invaded. Yan said that he was singing triumphantly to defend the country, and the imperial flowers were swaying with green clouds. "It tells the human history and natural scenery of Biandukou.

In the second year of Jianyuan of the Han Dynasty (139 BC), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent Zhang Qian as an envoy to the Western Regions. Zhang Qian set out from Chang'an, crossed the Yellow River via Longxi, went west along the southern foot of the Qilian Mountains, exited Biandukou and entered the Hexi Corridor. Afterwards, this ancient road left behind traces of emperors and great khans, border guards, merchants and camel teams, envoys, eminent monks and literati.

The most dramatic event occurred in the fifth year of Daye of the Sui Dynasty (609 AD). Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty led hundreds of civil and military officials and concubines to go north through Biandukou and arrived at Zhangye County in the Hexi Corridor. Visit all countries and hold a world expo. After the founding of the Sui Dynasty, the Hexi Corridor was invaded by Turks in the north and Tuyuhun intruders in the south. In order to demonstrate the great power of the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty further expanded the Silk Road and made it his top priority to pacify the Turks and Tuyuhun, recover the countries in the Western Regions, and expand the territory. Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty sent Pei Ju, the minister of the Ministry of Personnel, to Zhangye to negotiate with envoys from the Western Regions. He learned about the national customs, mountains, rivers, and dangers of the Western Regions, and wrote "Illustrated Records of the Western Regions." Pei Jujin said: "There are many treasures in the Hu, and Tuyuhun can easily annex them" and presented "Picture Notes of the Western Regions".

In the fifth year of the Sui Dynasty (609 AD), Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty personally led hundreds of officials, concubines and more than 100,000 troops from all walks of life, starting from Chang'an and leaving Linjinguan (today's Yongjing, Gansu) , crossed the Yellow River and entered Qinghai along the Huangzhong Road. "Chen Bing taught martial arts" in the area of ??Minhe and Ledu today, and "hunted for two thousand miles" in the northern Hualong Mountains. Afterwards, the Sui army passed through Xining and followed the Haomen River (today's Datong River), facing Datong and Daban Mountain (Yuexingling, the pass is as high as 3940 meters above sea level) at the junction of Menyuan County. Due to the steep mountains and towering mountains, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty did not directly cross the Daban Mountain. Instead, he went north along the Datong River and entered the territory of Menyuan. He defeated Tuyuhun in Fuyuanchuan (today's Yong'an Beach area west of Menyuan) and forced Tuyuhun returned to the Sui Dynasty. This massive Western Expedition made the ancient Silk Road between Ning (Xining) and Zhangye (Zhangye) smooth.

In order to show the power of the Sui Dynasty and the military, and to submit to all directions, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty vigorously promoted his majesty. The "palace" of the army accompanying the Western Inspection consisted of "Liuhe City", "Liuhe Hall" and "Thousand People's Tent" . "Liuhe City" is used as a sleeping palace. It is 120 steps square and 4 feet 2 feet high (equivalent to two buildings that are 100 meters long, 32 meters wide and 6 stories high today). It can accommodate 600 guards and is equipped with wheels. It is easy to transport and load and unload; the "Liuhe Hall" is used as the "Guanfengxing Hall" (observation of customs and reception of guests), decorated with car curtains, equipped with early warning concealed weapons, and loaded with bells and horses. It is very convenient to separate and close, and can accommodate There are hundreds of courtiers and three guards; the "thousand-person tent" can accommodate thousands of people and is used for discussions, celebrations, and banquets for the officials.

Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty visited Zhangye to the west and took a dragon and phoenix chariot to the east to the foot of Yanzhi Mountain, whereupon the "World Expo" began. Those who participated in the grand meeting at that time included Turks, Silla, Mohe, Bi Dasi, Hedu, Chuanyue, Unaho, Pola, Tochara, Julujian, Hulun, Hedo, Peihan, Qiuci, Shu Le, Yutian, Anguo, Caoguo, Heguo, Muguo, Bi, Yimi, Shifanyan, Jiazhe, Khitan and other countries. "Zi Zhi Tong Jian" records: "There were more than twenty barbarians accompanying the procession. At that time, the meeting place was magnificent, with thunderous cheers, and merchants from all the countries in the Western Regions gathered. The envoys of the kings and ministers of the Western Regions, wearing gold, jade and brocade, were on the roadside. To pay homage to Emperor Sui Yang, Emperor Sui Yang ordered that no one wearing colorful clothes or horses would be allowed to enter.

Emperor Yang of Sui also held a state banquet for the leaders of various countries, accompanied by envoys from 27 countries and ministers. On the left and right, the momentum was extraordinary. In the tent of thousands of people, the royal guard of honor played nine pieces of Chinese music, and large-scale performances were performed first. Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty personally visited the "Guanfeng Hall" to display cultural relics, silk brocades, and other kings and envoys from the Western Regions. Enjoy the entertainment to show the prosperity of Sui Dynasty civilization. Such a grand meeting at the foot of Yanzhi Mountain lasted for 6 days. Envoys from 27 countries in the Western Regions presented tributes to Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty. Emperor Yang was very happy and immediately issued an edict to announce the establishment of the West China Sea. Heyuan, Shanshan, and Qiemo counties

Although Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty was brutal, his great achievements such as digging the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, patrolling Yanzhi Mountain in the west, convening the General Conference of Nations, and recovering the Western Regions cannot be ignored. . Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty convened the World Exposition to stabilize the western frontier, demonstrating the power and majesty of the Sui Dynasty, opening up the Silk Road, and further prospering the economy.

Today, we set out from Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, over the Daban Mountain and across the hinterland of the Qilian Mountains. The natural chasm has long been turned into a road, and the main artery National Highway 227 meanders in the Qilian Mountains. The Dabanshan Tunnel has also been completed. Its altitude of 3,792.75 meters ranks first in Asia and second in the world. Go north along the Ningzhang Highway, cross the Haomen Bridge, pass Menyuan Qingshizui, cross the Jingyang Ridge, and then enter the Qilian Prairie. After passing Ebao, you can reach Mingle and Zhangye.

Standing in the Hexi Corridor, looking far into the distance, you can see the snow-capped Qilian Mountains and the lush Yanzhi Mountains, and your thoughts are rolling in. As early as the Xia and Shang Dynasties, the Qiang people (Xirong) lived a nomadic life in this area, living in pursuit of water and grass. Since the Han and Tang Dynasties, it has been an important channel for the Xiongnu, Turks, Uighurs, Tuyuhun, Tubo and other ethnic groups to communicate with each other and to enter and exit Gansu and Qinghai. As early as the second year of Yuanshou, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (123 BC), General Huo Qubing led his elite troops out of Longxi, passed through Haomen, entered the Hexi Corridor through Dadou Bago (Biandukou), and penetrated more than a thousand miles into the Xiongnu garrison. After defeating King Hunxie and King Xiutu, Hexi became part of the Han Dynasty. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the eminent monk Faxian determined to go to Tianzhu (India) to seek Dharma. In the third year of Emperor Long'an of Jin'an (AD 399), he traveled from Jingyuan via Lanzhou, Ledu, Datong, Menyuan, and from Biandukou through the Qilian Mountains to Zhangye. , headed to the Western Regions along the Hexi Corridor, and returned to China by sea after reaching Tianzhu. In March of the fifth year of Daye of the Sui Dynasty (AD 609), Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty went west to Tuyuhun and came out of Biandukou to hold the "World Expo" at the foot of Yanzhi Mountain; in the sixth year of Tianbao of the Tang Dynasty (AD 747), the Tang Dynasty general Ge Shuhan He served as the deputy envoy of the Dadou Army to guard Dadou Bagou. Due to his outstanding military exploits, he was promoted to the general of Youwu Guards and served as the deputy envoy of Longyou Jiedu. He founded the "Shencheng Army" and built "Longying City" to garrison the Gansu and Qinghai areas. "Old Book of Tang Dynasty? Biography of Ge Shuhan" records: "(King) Zhongsi took (Ge Shuhan) as the deputy envoy of the Great Dou Army." The Great Dou Army guarded Biandukou, and there were poems from time to time: "The Big Dipper is high, Brother Shu Ye carried a knife, and he still dared not cross Lintao when he was watching herd horses. "From then on, the Tubo people no longer dared to invade eastward, and the Tubo invasion of the Hexi Corridor was also prevented. In the third year of Baoqing's reign in the Song Dynasty (AD 1227), the Mongolian army passed through Biandukou, crossed the Qilian Mountains, and captured the northern part of Qinghai. In the fifteenth year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty (AD 1642), after General He Jin, leader of the peasant uprising army Li Zicheng, captured Ganzhou, he led his army through the Qilian Mountains via Biandukou and marched to Xining. In the fourth year of Emperor Kangxi's reign in the Qing Dynasty (AD 1665), a Chahan-Ebo camp was set up at Biandukou and a boundary monument was erected. In the 33rd year of Kangxi's reign (1694 AD), 500 more troops were sent to Damaying to guard the camp. In the eighth year of Guangxu (AD 1882), the Frenchman Dou Tuolei went deep here to conduct on-site surveys and draw maps. In the 20th year of the Republic of China (AD 1931), Ma Bufang came out of the mountain from here and fought a fierce battle with Ma Zhongying's troops south of the Three Forts. Ma Zhongying was defeated and fled to Xinjiang. In mid-September 1949, the First Field Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army also passed through Biandukou. It galloped all night and suddenly appeared in front of the Kuomintang defenders at Minle County Chow Mein Shop like a divine soldier descending from heaven. It liberated Minle in one fell swoop and then advanced to Zhangye. On this ancient road, many literati and poets such as Li Bai, Wang Wei, Gao Shi, Cen Shen and Wang Changling also walked.

Biandukou has a rich history and cultural heritage. It has witnessed the wars of emperors in the past dynasties opening up territories and the historical changes of the rise and fall of dynasties. Biandukou is an ancient passage full of sorrow and sighs, with countless vicissitudes of life and endless legends. The valley once echoed the long bells of the caravans and camels, and the cliffs were engraved with figures of cavalry walking and fighting. I don’t know how many historical stories were staged here. Thousands of years have passed since the past, and all the stories have been stirred by the wind as time goes by, gradually settling in the tunnel of history. The wheel of history is rolling forward. Today, National Highway 227 passes through the gorge, and Biandukou still plays an important role in connecting Gansu and Qinghai. Biandukou, once a battleground for military strategists, is now a tourist resort and a place for trade. Golden rapeseed flowers are in full bloom, welcoming the world with a new look.