Guanshan Great Wall

Guanshan Great Wall

The Guanshan Great Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ascending Guanshan in Shangyi County, you will see 118 li of ancient Great Wall snaking along the mountain ridges like a giant dragon spewing clouds and mist.

This section of the Great Wall stretches from Qingyanggou in the east to Nancaoniao in the west and was first built during the Spring and Autumn Period. After the Qin Dynasty unified China, Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered General Meng Tian to renovate and connect the separate walls built by various feudal states, forming a continuous Great Wall stretching ten thousand li. It was later renovated again during the Northern Wei Dynasty under the Tuoba clan. In the seventh year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (Emperor Xianzong), due to frequent wars with ethnic minorities, the Zhu imperial court specially appointed She Zijun, the regional governor of Yansui, to further reinforce the wall. In the 29th year of the Jiajing era (1550 AD), when the Tatar leader led his troops in an invasion, they briefly captured Jizhou, moved south through Gubeikou, and advanced as far as the outskirts of Beijing. In the 30th year of Jiajing, Weng Wanda, the governor-general of Xuanda, once again “petitioned for the repair and construction of over a thousand li of border walls in the Xuanda regions, along with 363 beacon towers.” This section of the Great Wall is a remnant from the Ming Dynasty.

The undulating mountain ridges, abrupt peaks, and winding valleys and trenches showcase the ruggedness and the diverse beauty of Guanshan. Beneath a uniquely shaped peak facing water and backed by mountains, uneven rocks shelter an ancient brick tower and cave. From the remaining bricks and earthen traces, one can faintly discern that this was once one of the Ming Dynasty’s brick kilns — a clear piece of evidence supporting the historical record in the Ming Annals of “using local materials.”

The Guanshan Mountain that bears the Great Wall not only holds tales of heroic battles but also many fascinating stories. Along the way, there is a small hill shaped like a fish, as if playing in the water — this is Fish Hill. Above it lies a naturally formed stone lion with bared fangs and brandished claws, seemingly hunting for food. Below it is a stone formation resembling a phoenix, beside which naturally arranged rocks form petals, creating a uniquely shaped lotus flower known locally as the “Lotus Platform.”

Looking north toward the grasslands, what was once a sparsely populated, desolate wasteland is now dotted with swaying poplars and willows, and divided into neat fields. Horses gallop across the vast grasslands, while herds of cattle and sheep roll along the horizon where the blue sky meets white clouds. The once heavily fortified and tense Great Wall passes have transformed into friendly passages and bonds between the Mongolian and Han peoples. Today, standing at the foot of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall in Shangyi County, one can still feel the overwhelming sense of solitude in the desert and the ancient road swept by the west wind.