Prior to the Qing dynasty conquest of Xinjiang, the area was inhabited by Kirghiz nomads.

[7] However, when the Qing control of region weakened during the Taiping Rebellion and Dungan Revolt in the 1850s-1870s, the Kirghiz returned.

[8] This along with the economic impacts of those rebellions led to reduction in trade along the caravan route between the Indian subcontinent and Tarim Basin.

[9] There are numerous buildings in the area built to host highway maintenance squads, many of them are now abandoned.

[4] In recent years, a few mining operations have been started to the west of the mountain pass, producing siderite iron ore and potentially copper.