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The Shanxi sections of the Great Wall measure more than 2,175 miles, distributed in nine cities and over forty counties in Shanxi Province. Many dynasties throughout history built their walls in this area, such as the Warring States, Eastern Wei, Northern Qi, Northern Zhou, Sui Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. Among them, the Wall built in the Ming Dynasty was the largest extension.

Why have so many dynasties left their respective walls in Shanxi? Historically speaking, Shanxi has always served as the battlefield where the Han nationality in the Yellow River valley clashed with the nomadic tribe in the Inner Mongolia grasslands. Geographically speaking, Shanxi Province is located to the west of Beijing, so its Taihang Mountain shoulders the responsibility of guarding the west of the capital. Due to these two reasons, Shanxi has been a place of defense and military importance.

However, due to natural disasters and man-made sabotage, sections of the Wall in Shanxi are not exempted from destruction. On the contrary, the Wall is surviving in a very difficult state of affairs. Of the 2,175 miles of the original sections, only 932 miles exist today. Rescue the Great Wall, it is an extremely urgent task to everybody.

Sightseeing List:
Ningwuguan Pass
Niangziguan Pass
Yanmenguan Pass
Pianguan Pass
Pingxingguan Pass

Related Link: History of China

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