| ........................................................................................................................................................................... Yangguan Pass and Yumen Pass ........................................................................................................................................................................... |
| The tips of the Han Dynasty beacon towers can be seen poking up out of the drifting sands in this barren area 38 miles (62 km) outside Dunhuang. The Yangguan Pass was the start of the northern branch of the Silk Road, which arched above the Taklimakan Desert. The Yumen Pass, starting point of the southern route, is noted for its ancient ruins. The now buried towers were, in effect, lighthouses for travelers navigating through what was a nearly featureless desert. They reportedly could be seen for tens of miles. |  |
| ........................................................................................................................................................................... Yulinsi (Elm Forest) Buddhist Caves ........................................................................................................................................................................... |
| Serious
students of cave art may want to make a day trip to see the 41 caves at
Yulinsi, considered along with Mogao Grottoes as a national treasure. Yulinsi
sits 43 miles (69 km) south of Tianshui in southeast Gansu Province. The
mountainside grottoes date back to the Northern Wei. They are reasonably
accessible, but getting to the grottoes will be a test of fitness. << Back to Dunhuang Info |
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