Wengmen Pass

Wengmen Pass

Located in the southwest corner of Yefan Village, Tianzhuangzhai Town, Jinzhai County, bordering Luotian County of Hubei Province, at an elevation of 850 meters. It lies 8.5 kilometers northwest of Qingtai Pass, southeast of Tianzhuangzhai, and northwest of Zhuzongling. Wengmen Pass sits on a tall, elongated ridge known as Qiling. As part of the Jianghuai Watershed, Qiling connects three provinces and features a strategically vital and rugged terrain, serving as a southwestern stronghold for the county. The pass derives its name from a mountain gap along the crucial Qiling route that resembles the shape of a jar’s mouth—hence the name Wengmen Pass, also referred to as Qiling Pass. Legend has it that during the Three Kingdoms period, the Wu general Lu Xun once pursued Wei troops through this area and stationed his forces at Qiling Pass. According to the Guangxu-era “Luotian County Annals,” “At Wengmen Chongyi Checkpoint in Duoyun Township, there is one gate tower, four zhang of stone wall, and four barracks.” About three kilometers to the east lies the corresponding Tulingshan Checkpoint (still largely intact today), contributing to its formidable defenses. Historically, it was one of the eight renowned passes of Luotian. During the Guangxu era, allied forces led by Zhang Zhengjin and Li Jinhou waged anti-foreign-religion struggles in and around this pass. Foreigners harbored intense resentment but found no way to suppress them.