On Aug 17, the 18-car caravan delegation of Silk Road's application for the "World Cultural Heritage" status stopped at Jiayuguan Pass, which is the largest and most intact pass, or entrance, of the Great Wall.

Jiayuguan Pass was built in the early Ming dynasty, about 1372. It was built on the extreme western edge of China. Jiayuguan Pass is the first pass on the west end of the Great Wall, so it earns the name "The First and Greatest Pass under Heaven."

Legend has it that the official in charge asks the designer to calculate how many bricks would be used. The designer gives him the number and when the project is finished, only one brick is left. It is put on the top of the pass as a symbol of commemoration.

The fortress there was greatly strengthened due to fear of an invasion by Timur, but Timur dies of old age while leading an army toward China. It was also a feared place because Chinese who were banished for various crimes were ordered to leave toward the west and never return.

Jiayuguan Pass is the only way to get to the Silk Road. It plays a crucial role in connecting China with the world.

By Xie Fang and Wu Wei