Tiger Mountain Great Wall

Tiger Mountain Great Wall

The Tiger Mountain Great Wall is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tiger Mountain is located on the banks of the Yalu River, fifteen kilometers east of Dandong City. It is a key scenic area within the national-level Yalu River Scenic Area, facing Korea

’s Uji Island and the ancient city of Yizhou across the river.

Tiger Mountain was originally called Ma’er Mountain, due to its two towering, side-by-side peaks that resemble

the upright ears of a tiger, hence also known as Huer Mountain (Tiger Ear Mountain). By the Qing Dynasty, it had become what we now call Tiger Mountain.

Tiger Mountain rises abruptly from the banks of the Yalu River, standing solitary on the plain with a broad field of vision. Across the river, the fields and houses of Korea

are fully visible. As the national gateway, the choice of Tiger Mountain as the site for the Great Wall indeed

holds military significance. Historically, during each invasion of Dandong by foreign enemies, Tiger Mountain bore the brunt and was always considered a strategic military stronghold, often the first to be attacked. Anyone with military knowledge understands that controlling the high ground means controlling the initiative in battle. Building the Great Wall on Tiger Mountain was only logical. The wise ancestors of China, entrusted with the mission of defending the nation, had no choice but to select Tiger Mountain as a shield—duty, responsibility, and their own lives left them no other option. When Ming Dynasty Regional Inspector Wang Zhihao visited the Tiger Mountain fortress, he wrote the poem “Climbing Ma’er Mountain and Gazing at Korea.”

Tiger Mountain covers an area of four square kilometers, with its main peak rising 146.3 meters above sea level. At the summit lies the first beacon tower of the Great Wall. From this vantage point, one can clearly see Korea’s Yizhou City, China’s Mashishazhou, and the Yalu River Bridge connecting Dandong and Sinuiju.

Tiger Mountain boasts beautiful surroundings and was once one of the eight famous scenic spots of old Andong. It features 28 attractions including the Great Wall, the Sleeping Buddha, and the Tiger Mouth Cliff, making it an outstanding tourist destination on the outskirts of Dandong.

The planned development of Tiger Mountain envisions it surrounded by green waters, with the Great Wall winding along the mountain ridges and cruise boats shuttling through the encircling lake that connects directly to the Yalu River. Lush trees and mountain flowers reflect off the lake’s surface, creating picturesque scenery. The area will include the construction of a folk village, border trade market, Great Wall Museum, and food street. Over 730 meters of the Tiger Mountain Great Wall have already been restored under national approval. Soon, a riverside scenic road will lead directly to the Tiger Mountain scenic area, allowing a trip from downtown Dandong to the site in just over ten minutes. In the future, Tiger Mountain will become a sought-after tourist destination integrating sightseeing, entertainment, vacationing, and research.