|
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 Great Wall in Beijing
Broken Great Wall at Jinshanling 
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.
|
|
Jinshan HotelLocated 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
Copyright© 1998-2009 TravelChinaGuide.com, All rights reserved.
Travelers' Voices on Jinshanling Great Wall
1.
Sep. 28,2009 22:35 Reply
Mr.Basu(India) said:
Hi,
7 of us are planning to go on a day hike from JSL to Simatai. Can anyone please provide the following info?
- Cost of ticket in bus 980 till Miyuan city (to calculate whether a tour operator would be cheaper or not)
- Where to find regular buses to Beijing once we get to Simatai?
- If we hire a cab from Simatai to return, how much will he charge.
We will travel during the autumn holidays in 1st week of Oct.
Thanks for your help in advance.
Sep. 29,2009 01:33
Mr.Sam replied:
To answer your questions one by one:
1. It costs CNY 10.
2. You can go to Simatai parking lot to hire a bus back to beijing.
3. It costs about CNY 400 to 600, and you can bargain and can share with other passengers, which may save a lot of money.
Sep. 29,2009 21:49
Mr.Basu(India) replied:
Thank you Mr. Sam. This is going to be of great help to my decision.
2.
Sep. 21,2009 03:52 Reply
Ms.bee(France) said:
Hello,
I am going to see the great wall this week end , walking between Jingshandling and SImatai.
I am planning to arrive the evening so that I could see the sun rise in the morning.
Is there accomodation ver cheap just near the wall, at what time I could go to the wall ( before 6am to see the sunrise)? do you have tips? Thanks
Sep. 21,2009 04:50
Ms.Wong replied:
You will find there are many hostels located in the village near Jinshanling Great Wall, and the price is cheaper than the hotels in the city. You should start very early to see the sunrise, because the mountain road is not very easy, and it's getting cold. So if possible, you can ask one villager to lead you the way for your safety concern.
3.
Sep. 10,2009 06:33 Reply
Mr.NKY(malaysia) said:
Is this section children-friendly? Will be going to Beijing next week with kids around. Thanks
Sep. 12,2009 21:44
Mr.Reason replied:
This section is wild without being repaired. The bricks are loose and there are no side walls in many parts. It is suitable for adults. If you go there with children, you'd better be very careful.
4.
Jul. 24,2009 00:11 Reply
Ms.Hunter(UK) said:
Ihave a question. We are visiting from England and desperately want to see the Great Wall snaking into the distance, with well built watch towers not crumbling. we would also love to have a walk along the wall. Will the walk from jinshanling to simitai fulfill these requirements or can you suggest somewhere better? Also, can we get from Beijing to jinshanling and do the walk and then from simitai back to beijing in a day on buses? Thanks, Anna
Jul. 25,2009 20:43
Mr.Joseph replied:
Hi, Jinshanling to Simatai is a popular hiking route. It needs about four hours to finish the trek. It basically fulfills your requirements except there are some sections really dangerous. Many bricks are loose lack of reparation. Some watch towers are crumbling especially when it winds. You can do the walk from Jinshanling to Simatai in one day and get back from Simatai by hiring a car back to Beijing at Simatai Parking Lot. It's no problem. But if you do not like this unrepaired section, you can visit Badaling or Mutianyu, which are well repaired with no crumbling watch towers. Good trip!
Sep. 2,2009 15:44
Mr.Tracey(U.K) replied:
I have just read your email and hope this is not too late. My wife and I (both in our late 40s) just did this very walk from Jinshanling to simatai < it was fantastic you have the wall to yourselves and will easily complete the walk in the allocated time of 4 and half hours.the cost was $26.00 and was great value for money. if you need any help, shoot me an email,,,,,wayne.tracey1@ntlworld.com
We are also from the U.k
5.
Aug. 23,2009 02:57 Reply
Ms.Blue(USA) said:
Just finished a 2 day hike from Geibeko to Jinshanling. Stayed in JSL and then hiked to Sumatai today. The JSL to Sumati section is beautiful and not too strenuous if you are in good shape. The winding wall sections in the distance are clearly visable in good weather and while some portions are not restored and more challenging it is much more beautiful than the restored sections.
If you go to JSL from the wall say hello to Mr. Sun and Mr. Yuan who own a little shop at the wall base. They are wonderful and their wives excellent cooks! :)
The Sumatai section is stunning and I would recommend for seeing the least other tourists leabing JSL early in the morning. Cooler, less sellers of souveniers, and less other hikers. I had the wall to myself nearly all morning until nearing Sumatia- beautiful photos!
Trekking poles are useful, I didn't have any, because in some section balance and support would have been helpful. Hat and suncreen a must!
6.
Aug. 15,2009 21:42 Reply
Ms.Ruth(USA) said:
We just returned from hot and humid Beijing and the great wall. We did this unforgettable section. It is not for the faint of heart, but worth every ounce of sweat. We went to a hostel and booked a tour with the 20 somethings and had the oldest- us at 53 & youngest- 12 year old son- members of the group of 20. I cannot tell you how special it is to see original wall- (but they are fixing it as we speak). This is a 4 hour push after a 3 hour drive to and 3 back - due to rush hour. I really felt like I would have liked 6 hours on the wall and eaten lunch and taken in the wall instead of just pushing. If I do it again- will book a car for the day- and have them take us early- carry a lunch and buy the water from the nice locals that drag up coolers up there with drinks and support their lively hood. Make sure you eat on the trek, take the zip line at the end for an unforgettable view. Enjoy one of the most special places on earth.
7.
Jul. 8,2009 23:03 Reply
Ms.Liu(Canada ) said:
Thanks for the informative website!
Where can one find information on bus departure/arrival times from Beijing? I'm looking to do a daytrip (Beijing - Jinshangling - Simatai and zipline - Beijing) but live on the outskirts on Beijing (ring 5), and would like to know when I need to get to the bus/rail stations.
Jul. 9,2009 02:18
Mr.Zhen replied:
Take bus no.980 (快,meaning "fast")outside the Dong Zhi Men Gate in Beijing. The bus runs from DongZhiMen Wai (东直门外)Station to Miyun Bus Station from 06:00 to 19:30. After you arrive in Miyun Bus Station, you can hire a local car to Jinshanling Great Wall. It costs about CNY 100, but certainly you can bargain. Do not go to the wall too late, if you arrive in Jinshanling too late in the afternoon, I suggest you climb the wall the next day. You'd better have a good rest at a local in the near village or in a hotel. Prepare enough food, water and energy, and have a nice trip!
8.
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.
9.
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!
10.
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.