Iron Gate Pass is located 8 kilometers to the north of Korla. It was the strategic pass connecting north and south Xinjiang and the throat on the Silk Road. Incoming and outgoing rading Caravans had to pass through this point to continue their journey. Its strategic importance in history made Iron Gate particularly vulnerable to military contention. 

Iron Gate Pass is one of China’s 26 famed passes. The gorge where the pass lies is called Iron Pass Gorge and it’s well-know for steep cliffs and plunging ravines. Opposite to the Pass Tower is the General Tower, the top of which offer a bird-eye view of the surroundings. Up on the cliff beside the pass are inscriptions. 

Nearby, visitors can find the Princess Mountain, on which stand the tombs of a couple: Tzouhla and Tayir who sacrificed for the freedom of love. 

Legend goes that Tzouhla, the princess of the ancient Yanji Kingdon fell in love with a poor herdsman-Tayir. Their relation was firmly opposed by the royal family. The malicious Minister named Karehan persuaded the King to kill the young man. Tzouhla tactfully rescued her sweetheart. The evil military didn’t give up and he then dispatched soldiers to capture them. The couple fell down into the deep gorge while fleeing through the pass.