Líchéng

Licheng lies in the Taihang Mountains of eastern Shanxi, near an old route across the range. East of the county town, the ancient Hukou Pass commanded the road towards She County and Handan, while the western route led to Xiangyuan. Its strategic position made it a gateway between the Shanxi interior and the plains beyond the mountains. The Ming maintained a patrol office at Dongyang Pass, continuing a long tradition of guarding this narrow passage.