Friendship Pass Travelogue

Friendship Pass was originally built during the Western Han Dynasty, and was once named Yongji Pass, Jieshou Pass, and Dannan Pass. It was renamed Zhen Nan Pass after reconstruction in the Ming Dynasty. In 1953, to signify friendship with Vietnam, it was renamed to Munan Pass, and in 1965, during China's support for Vietnam against the US, it was renamed again to Friendship Pass, and the pass tower was also rebuilt. Today, the pass tower has finished its role as a checkpoint and has been converted into an exhibition room, introducing the historical evolution of Friendship Pass, as well as the stories from the period of Sino-Vietnamese friendship. Regrettably, Vietnam is an ungrateful wolf that cannot be tamed. Zhen Nan for a thousand years, a sovereign master, Twice renamed to show sincere loyalty. Not recognizing the deep kindness of a high neighbor, Leaving only friendship to be bathed in the western wind. Inside Friendship Pass, there is a yellow French-style pavilion, well-maintained, formerly the customs office, now also converted into an exhibition room, introducing the great victory of Zhen Nan Pass achieved by Qing Dynasty general Feng Zicai and the anti-French deeds of Liu Yongfu leading the Black Flag Army. A bronze sculpture of Feng Zicai with a sword on horseback stands tall in front of the Friendship Pass scenic area. In front of the Friendship Pass tower is a large square, decorated with flower beds and a fountain. To the west sits the new port joint inspection building, separated by iron railings, and personnel with proper procedures can enter. At the southernmost end of the square stands a zero-kilometer marker, indicating the starting point of the G322 national road at the Sino-Vietnamese border. Standing at the zero-kilometer marker, one can see the clear border between China and Vietnam, with the Chinese side of the road being black and the Vietnamese side being gray. On the Chinese side, there is a long row of pavilions, and on the Vietnamese side, there are three, each flying their respective national flags. Following the eastern wall of Friendship Pass, one can climb to the Zhen Guan artillery battery on Zuo Fu Mountain. The refurbished watchtower, artillery battery, pavilion, and group sculptures allow a glimpse into the history of a hundred years ago. As dusk falls, the scenic area is about to close, and there is no time to climb Jinji Ridge on the west side of Friendship Pass. There are no convenient hotels near Friendship Pass, and one must stay in Pingxiang City, which is under the jurisdiction of Chongzuo City in Guangxi, where Friendship Pass is located. Along the way, several Vietnamese heavy trucks are passed, probably transporting tropical fruits such as durian, jackfruit, and coconut. Our hotel is located next to Pingxiang's gourmet street. The street is densely packed with food stalls, offering a wide variety of fried, grilled, stir-fried, and soup dishes. The food culture of a great country permeates every corner of the land, and tourists can taste the local delicacies wherever they go.