In the history, the function of Badaling was to protect the Juyongguan Pass. Along with Guan’gou gorge, there are several interests and historic sites. Badaling is a rare ancient military defense project. The elevation of it is about 1,000 meters.

The wall of Badaling has a total length of 3, 741 meters with an average height of 8 meters The highest part is 15 meters. The total area for a tour is 19, 000 square meters. The top of the wall can permit five horses to be ridden abreast. There are arched doors at the inner side of the wall with very little distance between each two doors. The arched doors lead you to the top of the wall by stone stairs.

Badaling became a very important military strategic place since the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC – 476 BC) and the Warring States Period (476 BC – 221 BC). Many incomplete parts of the wall were proved to be built in the Warring States Period.

Badaling was the earliest section to be open to the tourists among all the parts of the whole Great Wall. 130 million tourists from China and abroad have visited Badaling; 370 foreign leaders and very important persons have come to climb Badaling successively.

This section of the Great Wall was made by huge bar stones. Some of the stones have a height of two meters with a weight of hundreds kilograms. Inside the Wall are made of mud and stone block. The top floor of the Great Wall is paved with square bricks which made the floor very orderly and smooth.

On the highest place, signal fire platforms were set to send warning signals in the ancient China. One fire with one smoke means the enemy is about 100 men; two fires with two smoke means 500 men, and three fires with three smoke means more than 1,000 men…… By this way, the persons who were warned were able to know the state of the enemy.

Near Badaling, there is a large-scaled Great-Wall-of-China Museum as well as the Great Wall National Theater from which you can get a full and complete view of the Great Wall.

In 1961, the State Council decided that Badaling was a national key protected culture relic unit. In 1987, Badaling became “World Cultural heritage” by the United Nation.

• Juyongguan

Juyongguan Pass is located in an 18 kilometer-long valley named “Guangou” which is inside Changping County more than 50 kilometers from Beijing City. It is one of the three greatest passes of Great Wall of China. The other two passes are Jiayuguan Pass and Shanhai Pass.
It had many different names in the past dynasties. However, the name “Juyongguan Pass” was used by more than three dynasties. It was first used in the Qin Dynasty when Emperor Qinshihuang ordered to build the Great Wall. Juyongguan Pass has two passes, one at the south and one at the north. The south one is called “Nan Pass” and the north one is called “Badaling”.

This Pass was connected to the Great Wall in the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

In the middle of Juyongguan Pass, there is a “Cloud Platform” with another name of “Crossing Street Tower”. It was made of white marble in the Yuan Dynasty with a height of 9.5 meters. Around the top of the platform there are many architectures such as stone railings and a watching post. They are still kept in the style of the Yuan Dynasty. In the middle of the base of the platform there is an arched door where men, horses and carriages could pass through. Many animal images were carved in the arched hole and the arched door. On the walls of both sides of the door, the statues of gods and scriptures

are carved.There were three white towers on the platform in the past (this is how it got the name of “Crossing Street Tower”) and were destroyed in the transitional period between the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty. Later a Tai’an Temple was built on the platform but was later destroyed in the Qing Dynasty.

The present Pass was initially built in the Ming Dynasty and received much renovation later. It is a very important strategic place connecting the inner land and the area near the northern border of China. It is also a defensive place for the ancient Beijing City. So it is wanted by all the military parties.

As there are lush flowers and trees around the Pass like layers of green waves, so it got the good name of “Juyong Green Layers”, which belongs to one of “Yanjing Eight Best Sceneries”.

• Shui Guan (Water Pass)

Shui Guan (Water Pass) is located at Yanqing County, two kms (1.24 miles) away from Badaling Great Wall. Open to pubic in 1995, it is an ideal supplement to the Badaling’s tourist attractions.
Shui Guan (Water Pass), which was first built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), was an indispensable part of the defense system of Badaling Great Wall. The pass mainly functioned to defend against invaders by the force of torrential water flowing through between the two mountains.It is one of the best preserved
sections of the Great Wall of China, which stretches about one thousand meters (0.62 miles). It also has seven enemy towers and an arrow tower which is 15 meters (50 feet) in height and 12 meters (40 feet) in width. Looking out from the arrow tower, you can imagine an ancient battle fields and see the importance of the wall as a defence against invaders.

• Mutianyu

In the northern part of Huairou County some 70 kilometers north-east of Beijing City, this section of the Great Wall winds its way for over 2000 meters. This section is well preserved and is a good alternative for visitors who would like to avoid crowds along the highly popular Badaling section during holiday and peak seasons.

The construction of this section was started in the mid-6th century during China’s Northern Dynasties (386 – 581) and what now remains is the main restoration made during the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644). It has served as a northern barrier of what is now Beijing through the ages. Connected with Juyongguan Pass in the west and Gubeikou Gateway in the east, this section was built along steep ridges and deep valleys. Differing from that part of the Great Wall more widely visited, this section is renowned for its unique fortifications.
Wall Features

The wall is seven-to-eight meters high and four-to-five meters wide at the top and five-to-six at the bottom. The brick wall is reinforced with a stone facing. Twenty-two watchtowers have been built at regular intervals along its 2250 meter span. They vary from being complex structures of more than one storey to simple beacons. Among these, the most famous is Zheng Bei Tai, a castle complex that consists of three inner-connected watchtowers. These combined three towers ensured the defending forces could control any attempt at an invasion.

Most parts of the Great Wall have outer defensive parapets to provide cover for the soldiers and a low parapet on the inner side (called Nu Qiang) to prevent soldiers or horses from falling. (See the photos of Badaling, to see the difference) However, in this section, both the outer and inner parapets have merlons, indicati

ng its military importance. Also there is a 1000 meter long wall parallel to the main wall to enhance the defences.

You can mount steps to climb the wall but it is physically demanding, or you can take the cable for a single trip at 35 Yuan or a round trip at 50.

The surrounding natural environment is most attractive. Here the mountains are densely covered by verdant plants and tall ancient trees. In autumn, the maple leaves with their bright shades are truly amazing. In recent years, a garden party is usually held in autumn. Tourists can enjoy the sights of festive bonfires, performances in ancient costumes and other entertaining programs.

• Jinshanling

140 kilometers at the north-east end of Beijing City, there is a section of the Great Wall, called Jinshanling Great Wall. It is 90 kilometers to the Mountain Resort of Chengde. A tablet with the Chinese inscription of “Jinshanling Great Wall” was set in this section.
On the right is the full view of the Jinshanling Great Wall. Its east end connects to the Simatai Great Wall. Jinshangling Great Wall got its name because it was built on the bigger and the smaller Jinshan Mountains.

The Jinshanling Great Wall was initially built from 1368 to 1389 in the Ming Dynasty, and in 1567 or 1570 rebuilding of the Wall was mainly directed by General Qi Jiguang. Poems and tablet writings can be found on the Jinshanling Great Wall left from the time Qi Jiguang directed building of this section of the Great Wall.

The total length of this section is about eleven kilometers (6.8 miles), and the scenic spot of the Jinshanling Great Wall has an area of 32 square kilometers.The Wall is about seven to eight meters high
and five to six meters wide, which is made of brick and stone. The Jinshanling Great Wall has an elevation of 700 meters. Watching Beijing Tower is on the highest position, from which you can see Beijing. The Jinshanling Great Wall is second only to the Badaling Great Wall in its completeness.

There are more than 100 enemy towers along the whole Jinshanling Great Wall. Built stably and elegantly, different towers have different structures and appearances. Please see the left picture – it is one of the enemy towers. Rows of 3-meter-high Barrier Walls were built leading to the enemy towers to protect the towers. Some of the towers are storerooms as well. They were used to store food, hay and weapons.

Two of so many enemy towers are bigger Jinshan and smaller Jinshan. There is a legend about them. It was said that the two towers were built by 3000 soldiers from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces led northward by Qi Jiguang. In order to remind themselves of their hometowns, the names of bigger and smaller Jinshan Islands in Zhenjiang City, which is in Jiangsu Province, were used to name the two enemy towers.

As there are relatively few tourists at Jinshanling Great Wall, it is a good place to explore on foot. In early mornings of spring and summer you can see a remarkable view – “Cloud Sea” below you from the Wall.

The Jinshanling Great Wall has never been repaired. You are safer when you visit this section of the Great Wall than other parts. It is safer as the service in this section of Great Wall includes that one tour guide is responsible for one tourist, for his/her safety actually. When needed, the tour guides will go hand in hand to protect the tourists.

An 800-meter long cable was built to entertain the tourists. Also a 3-kilometer section of the Wall was rebuilt and is bathed after dark in colored light, making a splendid “Night Great Wall”.

• Simatai Great Wall

To the east of the Jinshanling stretch of the Great Wall there lies the quiet and remote Simatai section. The ruinous state of this part of the Wall gives it an air of authenticity that has earned it the reputation of being the most beautiful section of the Great Wall. Unlike the sections to be seen at Badaling or Mutianyu that have undergone extensive restoration, the wall at Simatai has received very little attention. Here, the wall really looks as one would expect it to look some 500 years after it was built during the Ming Dynasty. The local people are proud of this monument and proclaim that it was as a consequence of visiting Simatai that UNESCO was convinced the wall should be listed as a World Heritage site. It towers over the nearby villages and farmland as it winds its way like the spiny back of a dragon over the sharply clipped peaks of the mountains.

Because this section has retained much of its original 500 year old features it offers a quite hazardous passage to those who wish to walk along it. Needless to say, the inherent dangers offer a challenge that is quite inresistable to dedicated hikers in quest of adventure.

An additional attraction is that as Simatai is some 130 kilometers (80 miles) to the north-east of Beijing it is well beyond the reach of the huge crowds of tourists that throng the more popular and accessible parts of the Wall.

Remember that much of Simatai is in a state of ruin. Consequently, you will be embarking on an adventurous hike. In parts, the way is steep and hazardous and is not for the feint hearted! It is not really suitable for more elderly people who should always be accompanied. As with all dangerous exploits it is advisable to have an experienced guide or someone who has been before to go with you. Also, take particular care not to loose your footing when stopping to take photographs! Never take unnecessary risks and keep to the recognised paths.

• Jiankou

The Jiankou Great Wall is located in Huairou County, 73 kilometres north from Beijing City. It connects with Mutianyu Great Wall ten kilometres to the east, and with Huanghuacheng Great Wall to the west. This section was built in 1368 during the period of the Ming Dynasty.
The Jiankou Great Wall is constructed of large white hill rocks which makes it very noticeable from a distance. The major section of this Great Wall is built along a mountain ridge with large cliffs on each side, and due to the lack of repairs, it is now one of the most dangerous sections of the entire Great Wall.

There are several scenic sites that tourists must see, one of which is the enemy observation tower known as “The Eagle Flies Facing Upward”. This observation tower appears extremely high as it was built on a mountain which forms the highest section of the Jiankou Great Wall. Therefore, when an eagle flies there, it can only do so facing upwards before reaching the top of the tower.

The “Sky Stairs” is another famous scenic spot. At this location of the Wall the stairs go practically straight up, and they are so narrow that it is barely possible to obtain a foothold.

Other scenic areas include the Beijing Knot (the meeting point for three different converging sections of the Great Wall); the Nine-Eye Tower (a watchtower with 9 holes like eyes); the Zhengbei

Tower (a good place to watch the sunrise and the sunset) and, the Cloud Stairs (a section of the Jiankou Great Wall which rises like a staircase into the white clouds), and many other enemy observation towers.
Tourists standing on the top of the Jiankou Great Wall will always experience different scenes in all directions regardless of the hour or the seasons or the weather.

There are no admission costs or tickets required to climb the Jiankou Great Wall nor to visit the Mutianyu Scenic Spot.

Tourists can also visit Wofo Mountain Resort, where there is an Ancient Dragon Pool which is formed by springs at the foot of the mountain, and which contains the biggest breeding place for the famous rainbow mountain trout in the North of China. This rainbow trout when eaten fresh is delicious and even the fish bones can be used to make a soup. Try it!

• Huanghuacheng

Located at Huanghuacheng town, Huanghuacheng Great Wall is 60 kilometers from Beijing City and 29 kilometer

s southwest of Huairou County. This section of Great Wall has a total length of 10,800 meters.
Huanghuacheng Great Wall is connected to Mutianyu Great Wall in the east, and is connected to Juyongguan Pass and Badaling in the west.

When summer comes, all the buildings here will be buried in wide layers of yellow flowers (Huanghua), from which Huanghuacheng Great Wall got its name.

There is a legend about the building of the Wall. In the Ming Dynasty, the emperor ordered a general named Cai Kai to build Huanghuacheng Great Wall and he spent many years to finish the project. The emperor was unhappy. When the emperor heard the word by some official saying that General Cai Kai spent too much money, Cai Kai was put to death. Later, the emperor felt that something not right, so he ordered someone to investigate the Great Wall. And the man found the section of the Great Wall supervised by Cai Kai was extremely firm. Then, the emperor knew that General Cai Kai had done no wrong, so he rebuilt a tablet and a tomb for Cai Kai to correct his mistake. At the same time, the emperor had someone engraved “Jintang” in a rock to describe the firmness of this section of Great Wall. Therefore, Huanghuacheng Great Wall is also called Jintang Great Wall.

Huanghuacheng Great Wall is a natural one. There is a lake and a reservoir near it. The lake is called “Jintang Lake”. The water in the lake is extremely cold and the lake has a depth of 30 meters. Many springs come out of the bottom of the lake and the water is clear. Small falls are formed by the water in the summer.

The reservoir is called Huanghuacheng Reservoir. Its shape is like a curved moon.

The Yaoziyu Castle is the most completely kept castle in this section of the Great Wall. It has an area of 7257 square meters and was built in 1592 during the Ming Dynasty.

Shibadeng is the steepest part in the entire Huanghuacheng Great Wall. It is so steep that you have to be very careful when you climb it.

• Download the Google Earth KMZ FILE of these locations.

Built in the seventh year of the Ming Emperor Yongle’s reign (1409), Changling Tomb of Emperor Chengzu (Zhudi) is the first one among the Ming Mausoleums. It is located in front of the main peak of the Tianshou Mountain, while the other eleven mausoleums built in the Ming Dynasty, including Xianling, Jingling, Yuling, Maoling, Tailing, Kanling, Yongling, Zhaoling, Dingling, Qingling and Deling are founded at the two sides of the Changling Tomb.

Lying at the southwestern corner of the mausoleum area, Siling Tomb of Emperor Chongzhen (Zhu Youjian) is the last-built one among the mausoleums, which was transformed from an imperial concubine’s tomb. Siling Tomb was denominated in the first year of Emperor Shunzhi’ reign (1644) in the Qing Dynasty(1666-1911) and the above-ground buildings were added then. Other affiliated buildings are: seven tombs of the imperial concubine, one eunuch tomb, an Imperial Garden and Traveling Palace in the Ming Dynasty. There used to be ten Pass Towns around the Ming Tombs.

Because part of the buildings within the mausoleum area were destroyed in war in the transition period of the Ming and the Qing dynasties, and such situation went on with more other buildings later, the Qing government renovated the main buildings on a larger scale in 1785-1787.

Peking government of the Republic of China (1912-1949)also repaired the Great Wall nearby in 1935.The underground palace of Dingling Tomb was excavated successfully in 1956-1957.

In 1961, the Ming Tombs were proclaimed as the important cultural relics under state protection. At present, three mausoleums, Changling, Dingling and Zhaoling, and the Sacred Way are open to the public as scenic spots.