Old Dragon's Head

Old Dragon's Head

Old Dragon's Head is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Old Dragon's Head is the eastern starting point of the Ming Great Wall, located on a coastal highland 5 kilometers south of Shanhaiguan. It is called the “Old Dragon’s Head” because the Great Wall is likened to a giant dragon — a dragon that traversed deserts, climbed over the Helan Mountains and Taihang Mountains, descended from the Yanshan Mountains, and galloped toward the Bohai Sea. It coiled at the Liaoxi Corridor, raised the mighty Shanhai Pass, and then plunged its head into the sea. This seaward-reaching section is the Old Dragon’s Head. As an important part of the Great Wall, it forms a strategic triangle with the Jiaoshan Great Wall to the north of the city and the Weiyuan City to the east, jointly protecting Shanhaiguan. For over 260 years, from the Hongwu era in the early Ming Dynasty to the Chongzhen era in the late Ming Dynasty, Old Dragon’s Head was continuously built and gradually perfected. By the Qing Dynasty, when the areas inside and outside the Great Wall were unified, it lost its military defensive function and became a scenic spot frequented by emperors, generals, scholars, and artists. Since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, emperors such as Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Daoguang visited Old Dragon’s Head many times. Among them, Emperor Qianlong came here four times to climb the tower and gaze at the sea, leaving behind a wealth of poems and calligraphy. The “Heaven Opens, Sea and Mountains Rise” stele on Old Dragon’s Head is said to be an artifact from the Tang Dynasty, and these four characters capture the breathtaking beauty of the landscape — “a vast expanse of blue under the boundless sky, a wonder created by nature.” Old Dragon’s Head is one of the “Forty Best Tourist Attractions in China” and a national AAAA-level scenic area.

The Old Dragon’s Head extends about 20 meters into the Bohai Sea, mostly built with stone blocks. Major attractions include the Seaward Stone City, Jinglu Platform, Nanhaikou, Chenghai Tower, and Ninghai City. The Seaward Stone City is half above and half below sea level, and it is said to have been built by Qi Jiguang, the famous Ming Dynasty general who fought against Japanese pirates. Chenghai Tower is the highest point of Old Dragon’s Head. Entirely made of wood, it was where Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty would climb to admire the sea and compose poetry during their trips to Mukden (Shenyang) to worship their ancestors. The plaque with the name “Chenghai Tower” on the tower today was personally inscribed by Emperor Qianlong.

Located on the coast of the Bohai Sea, 5 kilometers south of Shanhaiguan, it was originally the eastern starting point of the Ming Great Wall and is a veritable fortress combining land and sea defenses.

Transportation

Take bus No. 25 or 34 to the Old Dragon’s Head stop.

Hebei, Qinhuangdao