Yangguan, built during the period of "Four Counties and Two Guanzhi" by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, was rich in ancient water resources, and Wowachi and Xitugou were the largest independent water sources. At least three or four thousand years ago, it became an oasis basin with a developed ditch burning culture.

As early as BC 12 1 year, the Western Han Dynasty set up four counties in Hexi Corridor, namely Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan and Dunhuang, and established Yangguan and Yumenguan at the same time.

Yangguan was built in the fourth year of the Han and Yuan Dynasties (before 107), and once set up a captain to manage military affairs. From the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, it has always been the only way for the Southern Silk Road.

Since the Western Han Dynasty, many dynasties have sent troops to guard this place as a military stronghold, and how many soldiers have fought here; How many merchants, monks, envoys and tourists have been here to verify customs clearance; How many literati and poets, facing the sunshine, sighed and wrote immortal poems. When Xuanzang returned from India, he took the South Silk Road and went east to Yangguan to return to Chang 'an.

During the Han and Tang Dynasties, Sergeant Yangguan lived on this water. The communication between the west and the soil often dries up in the upper reaches, and springs in the lower reaches converge into streams, which flow northward, and sometimes flash floods occur. After the flood peak, the two sides of the gully collapsed one after another, the riverbed widened, and a large amount of sediment flowed down the river and deposited downstream. Sediment was carried around by the northwest wind, forming sand ridges, and the ancient city of Yangguan was gradually buried by water and sand.

After the abandonment of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, it was slowly deserted, leaving only the Dundun Mountain beacon tower known as the "eyes and ears of Yangguan", which stood on the desert Gobi.