Sŏnmun pass
<imgur thumb="yes" w="300" comment="Sŏnmun pass outlined in orange, with the borders of Menghe, Maverica, and Dzhungestan in red.">6uF8qBe.png</imgur>
Sŏnmun pass (Menghean: 선문 산구 / 仙門山口, Sŏnmun sangu) is a significant mountain pass in the Chŏnsan mountain range. The full pass system begins in Suksan province, Menghe, and runs through a narrow strip of Baeksan province before terminating just shy of the border with Dzhungestan. It is the largest crossing in the central span of the Chŏnsan mountain range, and historically it was the only direct access point for trade and military travel between southern Menghe and the Central Hemithean Steppe. The full chain of passes is 84 kilometers long, and reaches an altitude of 1,827 meters at its highest centerline point.
Name
The central pass in the Chŏnsan mountains was known by a number of names throughout history. The name Sŏnmun is first referenced in the 10th century CE, in Wŏn Jin's History of the Five Kingdoms, whose author claims that he is using an existing name for the pass; earlier documentation has not been found.
The two-character compound word Sŏnmun (선문/仙門) translates to "gate of the immortals." According to popular belief, the name was chosen in reference to a Sindo myth that the elemental deity Baeksin pulled the mountain range in half with his bare hands so that he and his servants could freely travel between their palace in the far west and the palace of the earth spirits in central Menghe. Accordingly, the mountain trail which branches off of the path and runs to the east is known as the Baeksin-e gil ("path of the White God").
The name of the pass is sometimes rendered in Tyrannian as "door of the fairies" or "door to the fairyland," using an alternate translation of the character sŏn. This translation is generally considered incorrect.
History
The earliest written references to Sŏnmun pass date back to the 14th century BCE, where they are found in Achahan cuneiform inscriptions, though nomadic peoples almost certainly traversed the pass before then. The Achahans referred to it as "highest road" or "place where the mountains part like running horses."
After the collapse of the Kingdom of Achahan, Sŏnmun pass became a strategic conduit for merchant caravans traveling along the lapis road between Menghe and what is now Themiclesia. This "southern route," contrasted with the "northern route" through the Haesŏ region, was more mountainous and rugged, but also also offered direct access to the South Menghe Plain. Artifacts found in former settlements around the pass confirm that goods from as far afield as Northwest Hemithea and Northern Meridia traveled through the pass at one time or another.
The pass's geography also made it a strategic location in Menghe's wars with its nomadic neighbors. During the Five States and Seven Fiefdoms period, Sŏnmun pass was the site of a decisive battle between the State of Suk, fighting on behalf of Chŏllo, and invading Chikai forces from the north. After two more significant battles during the Kang dynasty, the Gwangtaek Emperor ordered the construction of a fortress on the east wall of the pass, laying the foundations of a complex that would be expanded over the centuries. The garrison at Sŏnmun pass also helped protect caravans against the bandits and barbarians who lurked in the higher valleys on either side of its northern entrance.
During the final weeks of the Pan-Septentrion War, the Menghean Eighth Army was tasked with defending the pass against a Columbian force approaching from across the steppe. Menghe surrendered before the decisive battle could come, but the pass remained intermittently under the control of the rogue Eighth Army throughout the Menghean War of Liberation.
Current status
Today, Sŏnmun pass remains an important conduit for trade between Menghe and southern Dzhungestan, and the early 20th century railway running through it was expanded in 2010. One preliminary plan for the Trans-Hemithea High-Speed Railway would have run through Sŏmun pass, but in the end the international commission behind its planning settled on a northerly route through Jinjŏng and Junggyŏng.
Sŏnmun pass is also popular with tourists due to its history, scenery, and relatively pristine nature. Seasoned hikers can follow the Sŏnmun Footpath, which winds along the shelves of the peaks for a 60-kilometer span of the path, while others can access the most famous scenic spots via passenger trains and tour buses. Sŏsŏng Castle, the Myŏn-dynasty incarnation of the Kang-era fortress, is the most popular tourist attraction, and it is featured on the back of the 100-Wŏn bill.