Tong Pass

A county in the eastern end of Shaanxi Province, China. It belongs to Weinan City and borders Henan and Shanxi Provinces. Its permanent population is 155,463 (2010). It is located at the point where the Yellow River, which flows south, meets the Qinling Mountains, joins the Wei River flowing from the west, turns 90 degrees and flows east, and was a key point that controlled the traffic between Guanzhong and Zhongyuan. During the Spring and Autumn period, it was called Taolin Pass, and connected with Hangu Pass to the east, forming a fortification of Guanzhong. During the Han dynasty, Hangu Pass was moved near Luoyang, and it is thought that Tong Pass was established at this location at the end of the Eastern Han dynasty. Later, when the Guanzhong region was in turmoil, it became a battleground, and after the Tang Dynasty, Tongjin County, Tongguan Wei, Tongguan Office, etc. were established here, and in 1913 it became a county.

The Longhai Line and the Tongpu Line (Datong - Huashan) run through this area. In recent years, gold mining has been active here. Ruins of an ancient fortress and the associated Tongguan Twelve Castles remain, and the beautiful mountain of Huashan stands to the southwest.

[Motohide Akiyama, Editorial Department, July 19, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、陝西(せんせい)省東端の県。渭南(いなん)市に属し、河南(かなん)、山西(さんせい)両省に接する。常住人口15万5463（2010）。南下してきた黄河(こうが)が秦嶺(しんれい)山脈に当たり、西から流入する渭河(いが)を加えて90度方向を変えて東へ流れる地点にあり、関中(かんちゅう)と中原(ちゅうげん)を結ぶ交通を押さえる要衝であった。春秋時代には桃林塞(とうりんさい)とよばれ、東の函谷関(かんこくかん)と結んで関中の固めとなっていた。漢代に函谷関は洛陽(らくよう)の近くに移され、後漢(ごかん)末この位置に潼関が設置されたと考えられる。その後、関中が乱れたときには必争の地となり、唐代以後、潼津(とうしん)県、潼関衛、潼関庁などが置かれ、1913年に県となった。

　隴海(ろうかい)線、同蒲(どうほ)線（大同(だいどう)―華山(かざん)）が通じる。近年、金の採掘が盛んに行われている。古代の城塞や、それに連なる潼関十二連城などの遺跡が残るほか、南西には秀峰華山がそびえる。

［秋山元秀・編集部　2017年7月19日］

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