Why a Chinese city was named after a legendary divine axe strike

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Sanmenxia, or The Gorge of Three Gateways, takes its name from a mythic origin story involving Yu the Great. According to legend, he used a divine axe to carve through a mountain ridge, creating three distinct river passages to prevent catastrophic flooding across the region.

Located in western Henan Province, Sanmenxia sits along the Yellow River where it traverses the Loess Plateau. The city's name refers to two islands that historically divided the river into three separate channels. These channels were traditionally identified as the gateways of humanity, the divine, and the demonic, reflecting the immense power and danger the river posed to those navigating its waters.

The site held significant strategic importance during the Western Zhou dynasty as the capital of the State of Western Guo. Centuries later, during the Western Han and Tang dynasties, the city became a critical bottleneck for grain transport to the capital at Chang'an. The rapids were notoriously treacherous; during the Tang era, losses of grain shipments reached between 20% and 50%. These hazards were so severe that they influenced the decision to relocate the capital to Luoyang. Various engineering attempts to bypass the rapids, including the construction of gallery roads for towpaths starting in 150 AD, met with limited success.

The landscape of the region changed dramatically in the late 1950s with the construction of the Sanmenxia Dam, which submerged the ancient river passes. Before the flooding, archaeologists conducted intensive studies, uncovering significant historical treasures, including mass chariot graves and bronzeware belonging to the rulers of the Western Guo State. Today, the area remains a site of historical interest, housing sections of the ancient Xiaohan road, which is recognized as part of the Silk Roads world heritage network.

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