Daomaguan Great Wall

Daomaguan Pass

Daomaguan Pass is one of the "Three Inner Passes" along the Great Wall (the other two are Juyongguan and Zijingguan). It is located about 60 miles (100 kilometers) to the west of Baoding, Hebei Province. "Daomaguan" literally means "Tumbling Horse Pass" in English. It is so named because the dangerous mountain terrain would cause horses to fall when they passed by in ancient times. It has also been known as Hongshangguan, Changshanguan, and Tieguan Pass at various times in history. Due to a lack of renovation, the Daomaguan Great Wall is quite dilapidated. However, the weathered bricks and bare clay will inevitably remind you of its past glory and magnificence. Therefore, it is a popular spot for people to meditate on the past. 

Daomaguan (Daoma Pass) was built along the mountain contour. Half of it was located on the mountain and the other half was in the valley. The Tanghe River flowed around from the west, north and east to the southeast, making access quite difficult. The Upper City (on the mountain), which is also called Shangguan Pass, was built in 1368 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It served as a military stronghold during wartime. However, it has long since disappeared, leaving only some historical relics. In contrast, the Lower City (in the valley) is larger and better-preserved. It was constructed in 1452, and renovated in 1465, which is recorded on a broken white marble stele inside the compound of the Government of Daomaguan Town.

The Great Wall here is made from a tamped mixture of lime, clay and sand. Originally, it measured 1.6 miles (2.5 kilometers) in length, and 33 feet (10 meters) in height. Only the western section remains today. You can figure out that its outer layer is blue bricks and the inner portion is composed of pebbles. At one time, there were three gates in total: North Gate (Xuanwu Gate); West gate (Youyi Gate); and East Gate (Juren Gate). Sadly, all of these gates have been torn down.

On the mountains nearby, there were several fortresses and beacon towers. Unfortunately, due to constant erosion, today you can see only relics of these structures. In addition, you can find some memorial steles of the General Yang Yanzhao who guarded the place in ancient times. These steles survive from the Ming Dynasty, but the characters are quite vague. Copies of these steles have been made for tourists to learn about the Great Wall and the brave general.
 

Daomaguan Great Wall

 Take bus line 661 to your destination from Passenger Transport Center (Entrance No. 3) at no. 929, East Yuhu Road, Nanshi District. The bus schedule is listed below.
 

Onward Trip	05:00-18:00
Return Trip	05:30-16:30

  By Train:
You may take a high speed train to Baoding East from Beijing West Railway Station. The trains are available from around 07:00 to 21:00 at an interval of about 10 minutes. The trip takes about 40-60 minutes. You need to pay CNY 63.5 for a second-class seat; CNY 101.5 for a first-class seat. Upon arrival, take a taxi to Passenger Transport Center for CNY 15-20. Afterwards, take bus line 661 to the site.

 By Coach:
You may take a coach to Baoding from Yongdingmen Coach Station, Muxiyuan Coach Station or Lizeqiao Coach Station. Duration is about two hours. Upon arrival, take bus line 661 to the site. The coach schedules and fares are listed below.
 

From	To	Schedule	Frequency	Fare
Yongdingmen	Baoding	05:00- 19:30	30 minutes	CNY 50
Muxiyuan		05:40- 18:40	10-60 minutes	CNY 43
Lizeqiao		06:30- 18:30	10-60 minutes	CNY 27 or 41