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...
Guigou Mountain, located 50 kilometers southeast of Shangyi County, is one of the county’s natural scenic attractions. It got its name from the fact that a prominent local family with the surname Gui once lived there (another version says it was named after two single brothers who lived in the mountain, hence “Gun gou shan,” meaning “Bachelors’ Valley”). To the southeast lies the ancient Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty. From the mountaintop, you can gaze westward to take in the full view of Chai’goubao in Huai’an County...
The Hidden-Character Stele on Dahong Mountain is located on Dahong Mountain in Xiayao Village, Houdagou Township, Jiaoshihe, Shangyi County. Though not high, Dahong Mountain is steep and rugged. It gets its name from the abundance of purple sand shale in the area, which gives the rocks their predominantly red hue. The mountaintop is strewn with grotesque and striking rocks that jut boldly and majestically into the sky. As you climb up, you’ll have to push through waist-deep mugwort, thorny brambles, and wild jujube bushes. On the summit lies an enormous rock...
I. The Evolution of the Reservoir’s Name Qinghu is located in the northwest of Shangyi County. It is one of the six major reservoirs in Zhangjiakou City, following Guanting Reservoir, Huliu River Reservoir, Shandian River Reservoir, Huanggainao Reservoir, and Yunzhou Reservoir. Over time, the reservoir has gone through several name changes. These shifts in nomenclature also offer a glimpse into the broader societal developments. ⋯
Juniper is a rare tree species in Zhangjiakou, belonging to the genus Juniperus of the cypress family. It is an evergreen tree or shrub commonly found in temperate mountainous mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests. Preferring sunlight and intolerant of shade, junipers are not suitable for artificial cultivation and do not grow easily. The most representative juniper grove in western Beijing is the Wulahada Juniper Grove in Shangyi County. Departing from Zhangjiakou and driving north along the Guohua Highway...
As you drive westward along the Zhang-Shang Highway and soon enter the territory of Shangyi County, what greets your eyes is a landscape of undulating hills, lush trees, shimmering mist and rosy clouds, and a vast expanse of fragrant grass. China’s first private ranch — the Chahar Private Ranch — is located in this ancient, vibrant, and richly forested wilderness. The ranch was invested in and built by Hong Kong’s First Longhao Agricultural Strategy Holdings Limited...
Bordering Inner Mongolia, it is the largest natural pasture in Hebei Province, covering a total area of over 100 square kilometers. The area enjoys distinct seasons, fresh air, lush water and grass, and is filled with birdsong and floral fragrance. Deep in the grassland lies a clear lake, whose surface shimmers golden under the sunlight, while a variety of birds freely circle above. This is Hebei Province’s…
The ruins of the Ming Great Wall are located on the southern edge of Guigou Mountain below the dam, stretching 2,350 meters in total. Built during the Ming Dynasty to defend against invasions from outside ethnic groups, it was historically known as the Outer Great Wall or also called the Border Wall Mountain. The site’s landscape and relics remain remarkably well-preserved to this day. …
The Benbennao Site is located 300 meters west of Benbennao Village in Daqinggou Town, Shangyi County, covering an area of nearly 1,500 square meters. It is the earliest known microlithic site from the Neolithic Age in western Beijing. In the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, French priest Father Emile Licent and others conducted investigations here and collected many microlithic specimens, which are still preserved to this day...
Shirenbei Geological Park is located in the dam area of Taolizhuang Township, Shangyi County, 55 kilometers from the county seat. It is 10 kilometers from the provincial highway Yangha Line (a secondary road) and covers an area of over 270 acres, making it the largest natural geological park in North China. The park's main feature lies in showcasing two different landforms and climates within a single scenic area, at an altitude of over 1,700 meters...
The Chahan Nur Grassland within the county, also known as Wutai Grassland, lies against the backdrop of Chahan Nur Lake. With its shimmering waters, lush grass, singing birds, fragrant flowers, picturesque scenery, and pleasant climate, it is an ideal destination for cooling off, sightseeing, and vacationing. Covering an area of approximately 139,000 mu, it is the largest natural grassland on the southern edge of the Inner Mongolia Plateau and ranks as Hebei’s premier grassland. The...
Yuan Dynasty Stele According to the *Records of the Three Banners in the North*, there is a Yuan Dynasty stele behind the Daqing Mountain, titled *The Stele of the Jing Ancestral Tomb in Weining* written by Yu Ji. The full text is included in the *Literary Works Section* of the *Records of the Three Banners in the North*, mostly consisting of eulogistic language. Those interested may refer to it; this is omitted here for brevity. …
According to the *Gazetteer of Chahar Province*, there were once four Guan Di Temples within the county. By the Republican era, they had already fallen into disrepair and no longer exist today. These were: the Uliastai Guan Di Temple (built in the 48th year of the Qianlong reign), the Hebuqing Guan Di Temple, the Luhécheng Guan Di Temple, and the Maohuqing Guan Di Temple. …
The Red Mountain Odd Stones are located on Da Hong Shan (Big Red Mountain) in Jia Shi He Township, Shangyi County. The "odd" of the Red Mountain Odd Stones lies in their inscriptions. On a massive boulder at the summit of Da Hong Shan, miraculous calligraphic works created by ancient people using special methods have been preserved. These inscriptions are carved onto a huge rock embedded in the mountain, with around a dozen or so in total. The characters range from tiny as a fly’s head to large as a fist…
The Tuchengzi Site is located in Tuchengzi Village, Sanguardian Town, Shangyi County, at the border of Hebei and Inner Mongolia, adjacent to Xinghe County of Inner Mongolia to the west and east. The site is built on an elevated terrace on the northern side of the Erlong River. The ancient city has an east-west orientation, stretching approximately 1,100 meters from east to west and about 1,006 meters from north to south, covering a total area of about 1,050,000 squa…
Chahan Nur National Wetland Park is located in Dayingpan Township, Shangyi County, Hebei Province. The park covers a total area of 5,400 hectares, including 3,600 hectares of water surface. The landscape of the park fully demonstrates the complete evolutionary process of a dry to semi-arid grassland gradually transitioning into marsh wetlands and a saltwater lake. The clear zonal distribution of vegetation around the lake is distinct, making it…
The Dasuji Site is located two meters north of Dasuji Village, covering an area of 1.5 million square meters. The geographical coordinates of the central area of the site are 41°29′16.5″N, 114°09′33.8″E, and it is a cultural site from the Neolithic Age. In 1956, archaeological collections included handmade yellow-brown pottery, featuring plain surfaces and cord patterns...
The Ximiao Village North Site is located approximately 60 kilometers southeast of Shangyi County. The site features a terraced gentle slope. It stretches 500–540 meters from north to south and 480–445 meters from east to west, covering an area of 240,000 square meters. The surface soil is mostly loess, about 6–7 meters thick. The southern part of the area is a village, and the western side is a deep gully. In 19...
Hebei Dahaotuo National Nature Reserve is located on the northwest foothills of Dahaotuo Mountain in the southwestern part of Chicheng County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province. It borders Yanqing District of Beijing to the south, sharing a boundary along the mountain ridge with Beijing Songshan National Nature Reserve. To the west, it neighbors Huailai County of Hebei, and to the northeast, it connects with Diaoe Town and Dahaotuo Township of Chicheng County. The reserve stretches approximately 15 km from east to west and about 13 km from north to south, covering a total land area of 12,634 hectares.
The Haituo Mountain area is located at the junction of Longhua, Yanqing, and Huai'an counties and was the center of the Pingbei Anti-Japanese Base during the War of Resistance against Japan. During the war, veterans of the revolution such as Su Mei, Duan Shuquan, and Zhan Danan commanded and fought here. The brave people of Haituo shed their blood in battle, composing one stirring and heroic anthem after another.