There
is a saying comparing the Great Wall to a giant dragon, with the
head at the Shanhaiguan
Pass and the end at the Jiayuguan
Pass. 'So where is the heart of the dragon?' you may ask.
'Zhen Bei Tai, also called Pacify the North Tower in English',
definitely, either because of its location or because of its military
importance, Zhen Bei Tai all fully deserves the title of 'the
Heart of the Great Wall'.
Located
three miles north of Yulin City in Shaanxi Province and lying
at the top of Mt. Hongshan, Zhen Bei Tai is the biggest city terrace
on the Great Wall. Built in the year 1607 in the Ming Dynasty
(1368 - 1644), the tower originally served as an observation post
for maintaining order at the Horse Trade Market where the Han
people and the Nomadic people carried on business transactions.
The tower measures over 98 feet tall and has four levels. There
are stone sidesteps leading to the higher levels. The whole tower
is built by laying grey bricks. There is a stone plaque mounted
on the arch door of the second floor, inscribed with two big characters
'Xiang Ming', meaning 'facing the brightness'. This was written
by Tu Zongjun, the provincial governor at that time.
Standing
in Zhen Bei Tai and taking a panoramic view, the landscapes are
different on the inner and outer sides of the wall. To the north
of the wall is continuous desert, presenting a lonely and desolate
prospect. To the south of the wall are areas of growing woods,
part of the 'Three North' (the north-east China, north China and
north-west China) sand-break forests, presenting a scene vibrant
with life.
0.6 miles southwest of Zhen Bei Tai, is another famous scenic
spot - Hong Shi Xia (Red Rock Gorges), where inscriptions are
carved on cliffs. These two attractive places of interest are
regarded as the symbols of Yu Lin City.
Tip: You can take a taxi from Yulin City to Zhen Bei Tai, or
you can take the tourist bus or bus No.3 at Guangji Mansion in
Yulin, and get off at Zhen Bei Tai.