04-Jan-2007 -- I have been traveling from Siberia to Laos on a walking expedition and I entered into Shaanxi province in China in early December 2006. This confluence lies in the south of Shaanxi right before entering into Sichuan. Located in a very mountainous area, I tried to get as close to the confluence as possible, but realized that this looked like prohibited area as there was a long barbed wire fence which continued all around the mountain. Also, the mountain was very steep, so even if I passed the fence, walking towards the confluence would be impossible.

On the way back, I passed through a small village and headed to the main road to continue my walk. Less than 3 minutes on the main road, two men drive up to me, agitated, on a motorbike. Aggressively they indicate that I need to stop, but with my limited Chinese and their non-existent English, it is impossible to understand why. Almost 1.5 hours later, freezing cold, I see a little Chinese police van arriving in the spot where I was made to wait. A police officer gently hands me an English translation of the laws of the Chinese Republic. He points to a specific paragraph and I start reading: "Foreigners are prohibited from entering special zones. Only if they have a special permit are they allowed to pass...". I understand my mistake - the barbed wire fence indicated a military zone, one which I was trying to enter in order to reach the confluence. Less than 12 hours later, after a ride in a police van to the next town, a stay in a government supported hotel, having reconquered my passport and 50 dollars shorter on cash, I am allowed to continue my walk.