Yipianshi Pass Fortress

Yipianshi Pass Fortress

Located in Jiukou Village, about 9 km northeast of Funing County, at the border between Hebei and Liaoning provinces. The fortress is also known as Jiumen Shuikou (Nine-Gate Water Pass) because there are six drainage gates to the southeast outside the fortress and nine gateways inside—including the east and west gates—totaling nine openings. Historical records indicate that the fortress was built during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1398), making it one of the important passes at the eastern end of the Great Wall. It consists of three sections: the East Fortress, West Fortress, and North Fortress, and features more than 10 enemy towers. The site has been the location of many historic battles. During the Jiajing era (1522–1566), it successfully defended against Mongol incursions. In 1644 (note: corrected from 1574), Qing forces defeated Li Zicheng’s rebel army here. During the Warlord Era, forces of the Zhili and Fengtian cliques clashed here. Today, most of the fortress has been destroyed, but remnants of the southern wall and some enemy towers still stand. To the west of the fortress lies a circular enemy tower, constructed entirely from strip stones and blue bricks, standing 9.75 meters tall with a diameter of 9.5 meters. At the center of the tower roof grows an old pine tree nearly 200 years old, its green branches visible from afar. Legend has it that this was where Ming dynasty frontier generals reviewed their troops, hence it is also called the Reviewing Stand.

The Great Wall was built upon a foundation of strip stones, faced with brick walls, and is 5 meters wide and 10 meters high. The outer edge of the top is lined with battlements, while the inner side has parapets. Enemy towers were built every 250 to 500 meters, watchtowers every 500 to 1,000 meters, and passes were established at mountain mouths and valleys. Within Suizhong County, there are passes such as Jiukou Pass, Sandao Pass, Huangtuling, Xiyangkou, Wumingkou, Xiaohekou, Damao Shankou, Dongjia Kou, and Chengziyu. The Xigou section of the Great Wall is the best-preserved segment of the Ming-era wall and forms part of the main line of the Great Wall, located around Xigou and Jinjiagou villages in Yong’an Township, Suizhong. This stretch of the Wall features perilous terrain and a grand, majestic layout, earning it the nickname “the Third Badaling.” Major scenic spots include Damao Shankou, Cone Mountain, Manzhicao, Shixiakou, and Golden Ox Cave.

Jiukou Pass is located in Lijia Township, Suizhong County, 62.5 km east of Suizhong City and 15 km south of Shanhaiguan. It is an important pass of the Ming Great Wall, known as the “First Pass East of Beijing.” Built in the 14th year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1381), Jiukou Pass boasts unique architectural features. Over the 100-meter-wide Jiuriver, 7,000 square meters of stone slabs were laid for water passage, all arranged in longitudinal rows, with iron poured around the edges and bridge piers to form silver ingot-shaped clasps. This is the historically famous “Yipianshi” (One-Slate Stone). Above Yipianshi, nine water discharge gates were built, giving the pass its name. A massive overwater bridge spans the Jiuriver above these gates, with fortifications at both ends resembling bridgehead turrets. Each of the nine water gates is 5 meters wide, 7 meters high from ground level to the arch springing stone, and up to 10 meters high including the battlements. The two surrounding fortresses were added in the 6th year of the Tianqi era (1626), each featuring seven arches, with brick interiors and stone exteriors—grand and imposing structures rarely seen along the Great Wall. The pass consists of segments of the Great Wall itself, an inner fortress, and the water discharge gates over the Jiuriver in front of the pass. The inner fortress has a perimeter of 1 km and walls approximately 8 meters high. The walls are tall and solid, built with a brick-and-stone structure, 5 meters wide at the top, 6 meters wide at the base, and 8 meters high, featuring battlements on the exterior and parapets on the interior, presenting a majestic sight.

The Jiukou area is densely fortified with comprehensive military defenses. Enemy towers are positioned just 70–80 meters apart, and within a 2-km range, there are 12 enemy towers, 4 sentry towers, 1 combat platform, 1 beacon tower, and 1 castle—forming a tightly knit and extremely sturdy defensive layout. Jiukou has always been a strategic military location. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Li Zicheng’s Daxun Army and Qing forces fought the famed “Battle of Yipianshi” here.