Niangzi Pass

This is the south one of the Inner Three Passes of Great Wall in Ming Dynasty，located northeast of present Pinding County，Shanxi Province，half way on Mt Mian west of Taihang Mountains.In Tang Dynasty，PrincessPingyang，3rd daughter of Emperor Gaozu，once guarded here with her sister soldiers，and folks honored her troop as”Women”army，or Niangzi army in Chinese，hence the name for the pass.

The present pass city was built in 1542 with 2 gates.The outer gate is a brick arch，with a platform above for troop inspection and enemy watch.The lower part of the inner gate is also a brick arch，but above it is a tower，very solid in structure.Great Wall stretches out from both sides winding alongwith the mountain ridges as a natural safeguard of Shanxi and Hebei Prov-inces.Along with it at the mountain foot is the railway from Shiliazhuang to Taiyuan，and viewed from inside the train are the amazing scenes of lofty passes and towers as well as the cataract pouring its pearl like drops which is popularly praised as Cave of Water Curtain.

qingquang

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