劍閣

Mandarin

simpl.		剑阁
trad.		劍閣

Etymology

Literally: the pavilions (of the pass at Mount) Jian

Jian'ge County is famous for the long and windy foot paths going through Jianmen Pass. Jianmen means "gateway to Mount Jian", so called because its jagged peaks resemble a "jian" (a straight sword).

Noun

劍閣 (traditional, Pinyin Jiàn'gé, simplified 剑阁)

1. Jian'ge County (in Guangyuan, Sichuan)
2. (archaic) the footpaths that wind through Jianmen Pass (in Jian'ge County, Sichuan)
   • 806: Bai Juyi, Song of Everlasting Regret

     雲棧縈紆登劍閣

     The winding wooden walkways high up in the clouds ascend through the pavilions of the pass at Mount Jian.

劍閣

References

• 劍閣縣 on the Mandarin Wikipedia.zh.Wikipedia:劍閣縣
• Guangyuan on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Guangyuan
• "劍閣" (in Mandarin), Guoyu Cidian On-line Mandarin Dictionary (國語辭典). URL accessed on 2009-05-30.