Henan, Where China Began丨Hangu Pass: Where Lao-tzu Wrote the Tao Te Ching

何以中国 行走河南丨“紫气东来”函谷关

Located at the junction of Henan, Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces, the Hangu Pass tourist area is 12 kilometers from Lingbao, Henan province. Covering an area of 16.9 square kilometers, the tourist area is rich in Taoism and military culture. 

函谷关历史文化旅游区位于河南、陕西和山西三省交界处，距离河南省灵宝市12公里。该旅游区总面积16.9平方公里，拥有丰富的道教文化和军事文化。

Hangu Pass is one of the earliest fortresses in Chinese history, and it is also the holy land where Lao-tzu, the great ancient Chinese philosopher and founder of Taoism, wrote the Tao Te Ching, the masterpiece of Taoism. The area has become very famous in China and abroad.

函谷关是中国历史上建置最早的雄关要塞，也是中国古代伟大思想家、哲学家老子著述道家学派开山巨著《道德经》的灵谷圣地，享誉海内外。

The tourist area is divided into Hangu Pass and Taichu Palace. Built in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and Warring States Period (475-221 BC), Hangu Pass got its name because of its strategic geographical location. It has witnessed numerous battles from ancient to modern times.

函谷关历史文化旅游区分为函谷关和太初宫两大部分。函谷关建于春秋战国时期，因“关在谷中，深险如函”而得名。从古至今，函谷关还见证了许多著名的战役和历史事件。

Taichu Palace is the place where Lao-tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching. As a treasure of world culture, the great work contains extensive knowledge and profound insights, covering politics, economics, military affairs, arts and other aspects.

太初宫是纪念老子著述《道德经》的地方。作为世界文化的瑰宝，《道德经》这部经典之作蕴含着老子深邃的思想和独特的见解，涵盖了政治、经济、军事、艺术等多个方面的内容。

Hangu Pass has celebrated the birth of Lao-tzu every year since 1992, welcoming tourists from all over the world as they visit the site. The area has about 20 scenic spots for tourists to visit.

据了解，函谷关历史文化旅游区拥有景点20余处。自1992年以来，函谷关每年都会举行老子诞辰纪念活动，吸引来自海内外的游客前来朝圣。（赵汉青 杨佳欣 张雅涵）

Web editors: Shen Jianqi, Zhang Rui