Qingshan Pass

Qingshan Pass

Qingshan Pass is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

The Qingshan Pass Tourist Area is located in Shangying Township, Qianxi County. It is a national 4A-level scenic area and a rural tourism demonstration site in Hebei Province. Among the 115-kilometer stretch of ancient Great Wall in Qianxi, the Qingshan Pass section is the best preserved and most reflective of the cultural essence of the Great Wall. Here you can find uniquely designed watchtowers such as the 72-Arch Tower, Moon City, and Prison Tower, as well as the best-preserved lifting water gate along the entire Great Wall, and the ancient Qingshan Pass fortress, which dates back over 400 years.

The Qingshan Pass Fortress is the main attraction of the scenic area, built during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era. The pass features two gates, one in the south (the main gate) and one in the north. Viewed from above the Great Wall, the fortress is slightly flattened from north to south but protrudes on the east and west sides, resembling a Chinese gold ingot—hence it is nicknamed the “Gold Ingot Fortress.” Moreover, the entire fortress exudes an antique charm, rich in frontier military culture and folk customs. It has well-preserved official yamen, barracks, temples, teahouses, taverns, and residential buildings, earning praise from experts as “the most exquisite fortress along the Great Wall.”

The Qingshan Pass Water Gate is the best-preserved water gate along the entire Great Wall. Constructed in October of the 12th year of the Wanli reign in the Ming Dynasty, it is located on the eastern side of the fortress, built upon a mountain cliff with five layers of stone slabs, topped by 55 rows of square bricks forming an arch. The gate opening is eight chi wide and fourteen chi high, simple yet graceful, solid and unadorned. From a distance, it looks like a crescent moon rising midway up the mountainside. Despite enduring 400 years of warfare, wind, and rain erosion, the water gate remains as solid as iron, standing firmly to this day.

Moon City is situated atop a peak more than 800 meters above sea level to the north of Qingshan Pass. It borders a sheer cliff and abyss, with precipitous rocks rising straight up like they’ve been cut. The entire structure is square-shaped, standing 15 meters tall, 10 meters long from east to west, and 10 meters wide from north to south. It is built with stone slabs and blue bricks, and its foundation stones are exquisitely carved—the largest being three chi long, one chi wide, and two chi thick, weighing approximately 0.8 tons. Legend has it that on moonlit nights when birds rest and people are quiet, with moonlight flowing like water, a group of ethereal fairies in flowing robes gently descend onto the Moon Tower, playing flutes and zithers, singing softly, and dancing gracefully—it’s truly a heavenly scene on earth.

Qingshan Pass has now become a leisure and resort destination set against the grand backdrop of Great Wall culture. Here, visitors can observe, touch, and experience the Great Wall up close. As one visitor commented: “Lie in bed and watch the Great Wall, raise a glass and savor the Great Wall, relax and have fun with the Great Wall.” Tourism professionals have noted: “Among the many Great Wall tourism offerings, Qingshan Pass stands out by evolving from the traditional ‘sightseeing the Great Wall’ to ‘experiencing the Great Wall in leisure.’” The scenic area currently features four resorts of distinct styles: Qingshan Fortress, Miaogu Villa, Qingshan Clubhouse, and Qingshan Residence, with a combined capacity to accommodate 200 guests at once.

Transportation:

Take the Tangshan North exit of the Beijing-Shenyang Expressway, head northeast to Qianxi County, then follow Sanfu Road eastward to Han Zhuang Bridge. From there, take Fengdong Highway north to Shangying, and continue northeast for a short distance to reach the Qingshan Pass Scenic Area. Alternatively, take a train to Tangshan Station and transfer to a long-distance bus bound for Shangying Township, Qianxi.

Ticket Price: 40 RMB

Address: Qingshankou Village, Shangying Township, Qianxi County, Tangshan City

Type: Historical Site

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visit Duration: 4 hours

Phone: 0315-5946789

Official Website: http://www.xn--d6qu1y7w1c.com/

Opening Hours:

07:00-17:30

Shangying Township: A township under the jurisdiction of Qianxi County. Established in 1953, it was part of Hongqi Commune in 1958, became Shangying Commune in 1961, and was re-designated as a township in 1984. In 1995, Wafangzhuang Township was merged into it. Located in the northeastern part of the county, it is 30 kilometers from the county seat, covering an area of 87 square kilometers with a population of 11,000. Feng (Run) Dong (Jia Kou) Highway passes through the area. It administers 14 village committees: Shangying, Shangqingshankou, Dabaochengzi, Dongjiazhuangzi, Luguo Zhai, Longwan, Dongjiakou, Wafangzhuang, Zongfu, Jinlongkou, Daniuyu, Dashipan, Wanziya, and Tazishan. The main agricultural products include corn, sorghum, soybeans,... More details about Shangying Township ++