Located about eight kilometers (five miles) southeast of the Bakeshiying Township in Luanping County in Hebei Province, the Jinshanling Great Wall is the best preserved part of the Great Wall with many original features. It starts from the Wangjinglou Tower in the east and ends at Longyukou in the west and stretches about 10 kilometers (six miles).
The Jinshanling Great Wall is situated on the Big and Small Jinshanling, hence its name. Based on huge stone bars, the Great Wall was then made by huge bricks, each of which weighed about 12 kilograms (26 pounds). It has five main passes and 67 watchtowers. Every 100 meters (328 feet), there is an enemy tower each of which is about ten meters (33 feet) high. Featuring various structures and having various functions, those watchtowers are either one tiered or two-tiered. On the first floor there are some windows for shooting arrows. The roofs of the towers are many and varied, flat, arched, quadrangular or octagonal. Some are used to store weapons and hay. Others are used as soldiers' bedrooms. Among them, the most celebrated are the Big and Small Jinshan Watchtowers.
The big Jinshan Watchtower has two tiers which are connected by stone stairs. On the top of the tower is a small room used as the soldiers' retiring room. This small room has a unique structure. The rafters and eaves of the room are all made from polished bricks. The Small Jinshan Watchtower was constructed by soldiers from Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces led by Qi Jiguang, a famous general in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). To remind themselves of their hometowns, the tower was named Jinshan which was a pavilion's name in the Jiangxin Island in Zhanjiang.
The Wangjinglou Tower, the General Tower, the Black Tower and the Taochun Tower are also must-sees on the Jinshanling Great Wall. Each tower has its legend. Legend has it that the stone bars used to build the Wangjinglou Tower were carried to the mountain top by Er Lang Shen, the nephew of the Jade Emperor. The general tower was named to commemorate Wu Guihua, a heroine who sacrificed herself to resist northern invader's invasion in the Ming Dynasty. The Black Tower and the Taochun Tower were christened to commemorate two girls, Heigu and Taochun, who made great contributions to the construction of the Great Wall.
The Wall for Preventing the Horses, the Retaining Wall, the Bricks with Words Written on and the Kylin Screen are also renowned and worth a visit. Meanwhile, there is a three-kilometer (two miles) Night Great Wall and an eight hundred meters (0.5 miles) cable way. Anyone who visits the Jinshanling Great Wall should not miss them.
| Admission Fee: | CNY 50 (Mar. 15 - Nov. 15); CNY 40 (Nov. 16- the next Mar.14) |
| Cable Way: | CNY 50 (round-trip) ; CNY 30 (one-way) |
Jinshanling Travel Tips
Jinshanling Great Wall Transportation
By Bus
1. Take a bus to Miyun County at Beijing Dongzhimen Long Distance Bus Station, and take the local tourist bus to Jinshanling Great Wall in Miyun County.
2. Take a bus to Chengde at Liuliqiao Long Distance Bus Station, the bus leaves at about every one hour between 08:00 and 18:00, and get off at Jinshanling Intersection, and take a taxi or walk to Jinshanling Great Wall.
Drive Travel – Drive along the "Beijing – Miyun Expressway" and "Beijing – Chengde Expressway", pass Gu Bei Kou Town, go down 10 km (6.2 miles) and arrive at Jinshanling Great Wall.
Jinshanling Dining & Accommodation
Jinshan Hotel
Located 800 meters (875 yards) to Jinshanling Great Wall, Jinshan Hotel is a two star hotel, the only foreign-related hotel in Jinshanling Great Wall scenic area. It is only a twenty-minute walk from the hotel to Jinshanling Great Wall. The hotel features the architecture of Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. It has 62 rooms to accommodate about 130 guests. Both the domestic and international long-distance calls can be placed in the rooms. The meeting room in the hotel is equipped with broad-band access. Jinshan Restaurant in the hotel serves Chinese and Western styles of cuisine. It can receive over 300 people at the same time. There is an open square outside the restaurant. Equipped with professional stage lights and acoustic equipment, it is an ideal place to hold bonfire party and barbecues.
Other Lodgings
Besides, visitors can stay in the hostels at the foot of Jinshanling Great Wall. A room to hold four persons often costs CNY 15 each night. For visitors who prefer to live in the farmhouse, Hua Lou Gou Village is recommended. To sleep on the adobe kang in a villager's home is indeed an unforgettable experience. It costs about CNY 15 per person.
What to eat
Try "Peasant Dish" in Hua Lou Gou Village at the foot of Jinshanling Great Wall. Recommended Dish: Baked Small Corn Cake and Stewed Beancurd with Chinese cabbage
Local Speciality: Walnut, Hawthorn, Mushroom, Bracken, Day lily, Chestnut, Apple, Soybean food and Free range eggs
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Travelers' Voices on Jinshanling Great Wall
1.
May. 22,2009 09:01 Reply
Mr.A said:
Can you walk from jinshanling to simati?? How long would this take??
Jun. 2,2009 03:22
Mr.YUE(China) replied:
four to five hours. good views.
Jun. 24,2009 01:43
Ms.FRESHONION(Russian Federation) replied:
Mr. Yue, is it safe to walk at this part of the Wall? How late can I stay there to catch a bus back to Beijing?
Jun. 24,2009 03:31
Mr.YUE(China) replied:
You should be very careful when visit this part of the wall, because many sections do not have handrails, many bricks are loose and the mountains are quite steep. Slow down your steps.
You can take the passing buses running between Chengde and Beijing at the national highway beside Jinshanling Great Wall gate. They are available as late as six or seven in the afternoon.
2.
Jun. 20,2009 22:11 Reply
Mr.Archibald said:
I found a few visitors in Jinshanling than Badaling. Very good views and great wild wall!
3.
Apr. 14,2009 23:10 Reply
Mr.lala(hk) said:
How were the wall's dimensions decided?
Apr. 15,2009 20:00
Mr.Hamster replied:
Well, many factors, such as the topography, and of course, the military importance where the wall is located.