Ruins of the Yan–Qin Great Wall in Guyuan

Ruins of the Yan–Qin Great Wall in Guyuan

The ruins of the Yan–Qin Great Wall in Guyuan are a cultural tourism attraction and a World Cultural Heritage site.

On the undulating northern hillside not far from the Ming Great Wall lies another winding section of the ancient wall — the old Yan–Qin Great Wall. This was originally the northern wall built during the Warring States period by the State of Yan. After Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified China, he repurposed this section of the Yan northern wall and modified it to become part of the Qin Dynasty’s “Great Wall.” The Yan–Qin Great Wall stretches over 50 kilometers from the southeastern slope of Nan Changzi Natural Village, Pingtouliang Administrative Village, Fengyuandian Township in the east to Xiba Village, Lianhuatan Township in the west. This section of the wall is mostly built with a mix of earth and stone. Due to its long history, most of it has eroded into an earthen ridge. However, a relatively well-preserved stone-built section can still be found on the eastern hillside of Nan Changzi. Constructed with stone blocks, it stands 1.7 meters high and is 1.5 meters wide at the base. The stones atop the wall are covered with years of moss — also known as "stone flowers" — indicating that this section has remained undamaged over its long history. From the mountaintop, it looks like a giant dragon lying across the hills, silently witnessing the great changes of history.