Situated in the place of strategically located and difficult of access, the Ancient Passes in Ming Dynasty are within the field of Yingjiang County. When you come to learn Chinese language in China, you may have heard that they were constructed in Zhengtong period in Ming Dynasty for the purpose of resisting the invasion of the enemies as well as unifying the border areas. In total, there were eight passes are built after Yunnan grand coordinator Chen Yongbin applying for setting passes in the important routes to the royal court of Qing Dynasty.
Among the four passes, Tong Bi Pass, Ju Shi Pass, Wan Ren Pass and Shen Hu Pass were called the Upper Four Passes Together. When it came to Wanli period in Ming Dynasty, about 500 soldiers were sent to Gangbi Pass to take control of the Four Passes. In Shunzhi period of Qing Dynasty, each pass had 11 soldiers but it gradually cancelled in Kangxi and Qianlong periods.
Tong Bi Pass is located besides Xueli Village in the Gangbi Pass area. The city wall was built on the steep mountain slope, creating a wide visual field. At present, if you have chance to go there when you learn Mandarin in China, you can also see clearly the remains of the city wall. Besides, there are some round stone bases as well as rubbles and bricks and a stone tablet. Ju Shi Guan is in the mountain top of Xima area. With a high place, you can have a panoramic view of XIma Plain. The most important remains in this pass are two horizontal inscribed boards with the characters Tian Chao Ju Shi Guan.
Wan Ren Pass is also in the top of mountain that is 1.5 kilometers away from the south of Mengnong area. The base of the city wall is still remaining and the gate can be clearly recognized. You can also see a horizontal inscribed board inscribed Tian Chao Wan Ren Guan. Built in Mengga Mountain, Shen Hu Pass remains the door opening of 20 meters deep and three meters wide and four meters high.
When you attend to Chinese school in Kunming to study Chinese, you may be told that Tie Bi Pass, Hu Lu Pass, Han Long Pass and Tian Ma Pass were jointly called the Lower Four Passes. However, the Qing government was weak and they were divided in the area of Burma.