Mumen Dao (木門道) was a narrow mountain pass near Tianshui in Liang Province. Steep ridges hem in the road, making it an ideal place for ambushes.
In 231, during one of Zhuge Liang’s northern campaigns, the Shu army withdrew from the Qishan area. Zhang He, commanding Wei forces, was ordered to pursue them and entered Mumen Dao. Shu troops hidden on the heights loosed arrows into the column; Zhang He was struck and killed, bringing to an end the career of one of Cao Wei’s Five Elite Generals.