Juyongguan
Pass, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Changping County,
about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Beijing, is a renowned pass
of the Great Wall of China. Enlisted
in the World Heritage Directory in 1987, it is a national cultural
protection unit.
Situated in a valley surrounded by mountains, Juyongguan Pass
has long been a military stronghold. As early as the Spring and
Autumn Period (770BC-476BC) and Warring States Period (476BC-221BC),
the Yan State built fortifications here. In the Northern and Southern
Dynasties (386-589), this section was linked to the Great Wall
of China. This pass served as a natural barrier to the capital
of Yuan (1271-1368) and Ming (1368-1644) Dynasties. Therefore,
immediately after the founding of his reign, Zhu Yuanzhang, the
first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, ordered the pass to be rebuilt
to protect the borders from intrusions of the Mongolian tribe.
Many fierce battles were fought in Juyongguan Pass.
The Pass is roughly circular with a perimeter of about 4,142
meters (about 4,530 yards). It consists of two passes, one in
the south, one in the north, respectively called 'Nan Kou' and
'Badaling'.
In
the middle of Juyongguan Pass lies a high platform called 'Cloud
Platform', which is made of white marble. In the Yuan Dynasty,
three stone towers were built on the platform. At the end of Yuan
Dynasty, they were burnt down. Later, a temple called 'Tai'an'
was built on the site, but it was burnt down during the reign
of Emperor Kang Xi of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), after which only
the platform remained. Inside the platform is an arched doorway.
On the walls of the doorway, the statues of four heavenly gods
and sutra scriptures are carved.
Juyongguan
Pass is not just a military stronghold, but also a beautiful scenic
spot. Around the pass, beautiful flowers and lush trees dot the
mountains. A splendid picture! As early as the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234),
it was named as one of the eight best scenery of Beijing.
The extant Juyongguan Pass was built in the Ming Dynasty. In
the Qing Dynasty, reconstruction work was neglected. In 1992 and
2000, the pass was renovated.