Ruins of the Ming Great Wall in Guyuan

Ruins of the Ming Great Wall in Guyuan

The Ruins of the Ming Great Wall in Guyuan is a cultural tourism attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ruins of the Ming Great Wall

The section of the Great Wall along the border between our county and Chicheng County is the one built during the Ming Dynasty. It stretches over 40 kilometers from Sandao Lin Jinggang Mountain in Fengyuandian Township in the east to the southern slope of Qian Gangfangyao Village, Dingzhuangwan Administrative Village, Lianhuatan Township in the west. The wall is mostly constructed with ancient stone blocks, while key transportation routes and strategic passes are built with blue bricks and white lime. Along the wall, beacon towers were generally built about every 10 li (approximately 5 kilometers) as elevated structures for lighting signal fires to send warnings. This section of the Great Wall has a total of 47 beacon towers. There are also 12 watchtowers, which were used to station troops and keep watch for enemy movements. Due to warfare, as well as natural and human factors, this Ming-era Great Wall has suffered severe damage. Much of the wall has been taken away, and only a relatively well-preserved section remains on the southern mountain of Sankeshu Village in Lianhuatan Township. This part of the wall is built with stone blocks, standing 4.5 meters high, with a base width of 4 meters and a top width of 2 meters, and is largely intact.