Qingshi Guan Village

Qingshi Guan Village

Qingshi Guan Village is a strategic stronghold in the ancient land of Qi and Lu, where “one man could hold the pass against ten thousand,” and it has long been famed as the “No. 1 Pass of Qi and Lu,” making it a contested military site throughout history. In the northeastern part of the village lies Qingshi Pass, the largest pass along the Qi Great Wall. The pass resembles a fortress, spanning 100 meters in both length and width, and features three gate towers to the south, north, and west. The western gate leads to Qiaolingqian Village in today’s Boshan District; above the southern gate once hung a stone plaque inscribed with “Qingshi Pass,” which is now preserved on the wall of a civilian house to the east of the gate. The northern gate originally had a double-eaved Xuan Di Pavilion, but only the base remains today. Below the base is the northern gate tunnel, and outside the tunnel is a slope made of solid rock. This type of rock, locally known as “Qingshi” (bluestone), is extremely hard. Yet, it is on this tough stone that the wheels of vehicles traveling from south to north have carved out three deep ruts.

“Enclosed within a jar-like pass, I look up to see birds flying overhead. Clouds over the southern and northern hills, trees in countless numbers. I see only the mountain dwellers, but not the paths through the hills.” These are verses by Pu Songling, a renowned Qing Dynasty novelist, describing Qingshi Pass. The terrain here is precipitous, with high mountains pressing in from the east and west, and only a mountain saddle connecting the north and south. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Qi built the Great Wall to defend against the States of Lu and Chu, constructing this pass here due to the abundance of bluestone, hence its name Qingshi Pass.

Originally, Qingshi Pass had four city gates—east, west, south, and north—and was the only square-shaped fortress along the 1,200-li (600 km) Qi Great Wall. The ancient fortress originally had three gate towers to the south, north, and west, but now only the northern gate tunnel remains. Built with long slabs of bluestone in an arch shape, the tunnel entrance is 4 meters high, 2.56 meters wide, and 8.7 meters long. The inscription “Qingshi Pass” above the southern gate is still well-preserved. The passage between the north and south gates served as a main thoroughfare, and merchants and travelers passing through Qingshi Pass would often rest here, contributing to the prosperity of this fortress town.

In front of the North Gate, two old locust trees stand by the street, seemingly witnesses to this history. Though their trunks are now covered with mottled grooves, they remain full of life. Back then, Qi ceramics were highly famous, with most of the pottery produced being sold to the State of Lu. Therefore, along the route and in the villages from Linzi, the capital of Qi, to Qufu, the capital of Lu, there were many old locust trees, also known as the Ancient Ceramics Road.

Outside the North Gate lies the famous Wengkou Path, anciently known as the Direct Road Connecting Nine Provinces from North to South. The descending stone-paved path outside the gate is 100 meters long and 10 meters wide, with a 10-centimeter-deep and 8-centimeter-wide groove worn by wheelbarrows in the center, flanked by carved stone steps serving as a sidewalk. The road hugs the mountainside, narrow and difficult to navigate, often causing traffic jams for horse-drawn carts in ancient times. On the bluestone-paved street, a distinct “crease” was forcibly worn into the stone. Pushing carts up this 100-meter stone path required several people pulling from the front and pushing from behind—the difficulty is easy to imagine.

Walking down the ancient path, you’ll find numerous caves in the surrounding mountains, among which the more famous include Ox Nose Cave and Chen Tuan Cave. These can be described as natural “air-conditioned rooms,” staying cool in the peak of summer and warm like spring in the depths of winter, and each cave has its own beautiful legend.

Address: Qingshi Guan Village, Hezhuang Township, Laicheng District, Laiwu City

Featured Attraction: Qingshi Pass, the only fortress along the 500-km-long Qi Great Wall

Suggested Route: Qingshi Pass North Gate Tunnel – Big Locust Tree – Wengkou Path – Ox Nose Cave, Chen Tuan Cave

Transportation Guide

Public Transport:

Take bus No. 202 in the city directly to Qingshi Pass.

Self-driving Guide:

Take the Binlai Expressway, exit at Hezhuang, and drive 4 km north to Qingshi Guan Village; alternatively, take National Highway 205 directly to Qingshi Pass.

Parking Information:

Parking is available outside Qingshi Guan Village.