Nanjin Pass

Nanjin Pass - Strategic Terrain

Nanjin Pass lies in the east mouth of Three Gorges. It is the end of Xiling Gorge. Just as Kuimen is the entrance of Qutang Gorge, it is a natural gate at the end of Three Gorges. After departing Nanjin Pass, the Yangtze River gets rid of the restrain of towering cliffs and deep ravine. It arrives at the vast plain of middle streams and lower streams of Yangtze River. Xialao stream is on the northern bank of Nanjin Pass. The cliffs on both banks are steep and towering. The mountains are peculiar and the allies are diversifying. The river here is pretty narrow, just like a mouth of the narrow-necked bottle which locks the torrent. It becomes a natural boundary of the upper streams and middle streams of Yangtze River. It is of vital military importance for its dangerous terrain.

The river  widens from about 300 to 2000 meters about 3 kilometers away from Nanjin Pass. The mountains on the two banks are so high that you can hardly see their tops. People often take Jinmen Mountain as the eastern entrance of Three Gorges, the throat of Sichuan and Hubei Province.
 

Nanjin Pass - Drum Beating Terrace of Zhang Fei

It is said that Liu Feng (a famous general of Shu in Three Kingdoms Period) built a city named Liufeng City on the top of the mountain on the northern bank. There was a big stone terrace named Drum Beating Terrace of Zhangfei. It is where Zhang Fei (a famous general of Shu in Three Kingdoms Period) beat the drum to command his army to defend Yiling. In Zhangfei's life, he had heroic spirit, which could reach the sky. He was also very honest, popular with the civilians. Therefore, there are many elegant legends: it is said that once Zhangfei trained the navy there, and also played drums to cheer them, "we can memorize the past unusual times, and the distinguished and admirable people appear today".