Zijingguan Great Wall

Zijingguan Great Wall

The Zijingguan Great Wall is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Zijingguan is situated on Zijing Ridge, about 45 kilometers northwest of Yixian County. Its strategic location led to the construction of the fortress in a broad basin embraced by mountains and water, with two peaks standing opposite each other to create a natural stronghold. It is part of the Inner Great Wall west of Beijing. In the Han Dynasty, the pass was originally built with rammed earth and stones. Over the following dynasties, it was expanded and renovated. By the early Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, the foundation was changed to stone slabs, the walls were faced with bricks, and the top was sealed with a mixture of lime and crushed stones. When Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty moved the capital to Beiping (now Beijing), extensive construction was undertaken to fortify the city and the pass. During the Zhengtong, Jingtai, Hongzhi, Jiajing, Wanli, and Chongzhen reigns, the fortress continued to be rebuilt, expanded, with additional castles and passes established, and mountain paths carved out, forming a relatively comprehensive defense system. According to the "Jifu Tongzhi" (Records of the Provinces Surrounding the Capital), it states: “Controlling the perilous terrain of the Western Hills, it is the upper route to Yanjing (Beijing), connecting Xuanfu and Datong.” It serves as an important pass situated between Juyongguan and Damaoguan, collectively known as the “Inner Three Passes” along with them.

Zijingguan is one of the key gateways into the Taihang Mountains and is recognized as the seventh of the “Eight Passes of the Taihang,” known as the “Puyin Pass.” During the Qin and Han Dynasties, it was called Shanggu Pass; in the Eastern Han, it was named Wuwan Pass; in the Northern Wei Dynasty, Li Daoyuan referred to it as Zizhuang Pass in his "Commentary on the Water Classic"; in the Song Dynasty, it was known as Jinpi Pass; and during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, due to the abundance of purple silk tree blossoms on the mountain, it became known as Zijingguan, the name it retains today. In 1996, it was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council.

Address: Zijing Ridge, 40 kilometers west of Yixian County, Baoding City, Hebei Province

Phone: 0312-8271882

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Fourth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units