Southern Great Wall Scenic Area

　　The Miao Frontier Great Wall is primarily located in Fenghuang County, Hunan Province. It stretches from Tingziguan at the border with Tongren in the south to Xiqueying in Jishou in the north, covering a total length of about 190 kilometers. Construction began in the 33rd year of the Jiajing reign during the Ming Dynasty (1554 AD) and was completed in the 3rd year of the Tianqi reign (1622 AD). It is known as the “Ten-Thousand-Li Wall of the Miao Frontier.” As it is the only Great Wall in southern China, it is also called the Southern Great Wall of China, or simply the Southern Great Wall. It is one of the grand ancient architectural projects in Chinese history, and it restricted trade and cultural exchanges between the Miao and Han peoples at the time. It reflects the characteristics of a particular dynasty, encompassing the political, economic, military, and cultural phenomena of that period, and embodies the spirit of its governance methods. It serves as vivid historical material for studying the Ming and Qing dynasties’ conquest and rule over remote ethnic minorities.

　　The Great Wall, as a renowned World Cultural Heritage site and a representative structure of the Chinese nation, has long been considered a defense line in the Central Plains region against northern nomadic tribes. However, what is lesser known is that during the Ming Dynasty, around the time of the Wanli Emperor, a section of the Great Wall was also built in Hunan. Since this section was mainly used to guard against uprisings by the Miao people, it came to be known as the Miao Frontier Great Wall. As it is the only Great Wall in southern China, it is also referred to as the Southern Great Wall of China, the Southern Great Wall, or simply the Southern Great Wall. The Miao Frontier Great Wall is largely situated in present-day Fenghuang County, Hunan Province. Its overall scale is much smaller than that of the northern Great Wall. It was damaged in the late Ming Dynasty but was later rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty and subsequently underwent some repairs.

　　The construction of the Southern Great Wall separated the northern and southern regions of the Miao Frontier in western Hunan. The area to the north was designated as a “raw zone” of “uncivilized people,” with the rules that “the Miao shall not leave their territory, and the Han shall not enter the villages,” thereby prohibiting commercial trade and cultural interactions between the Miao and Han peoples.

　　Now, after more than a hundred years, this long-dormant Miao Frontier border wall has finally shaken off the dust of history and reemerged before the world. On April 22, 2000, Professor Luo Zhewen confirmed that this was indeed the Southern Great Wall, causing a sensation both domestically and internationally.

　　The Southern Great Wall’s ramparts are approximately 3 meters high, with a base width of 2 meters and a top width of 1 meter. They wind around mountains and cross rivers, with most sections built along steep ridges. The fortress wall is 3 kilometers long, 5 meters high, and 2.8 meters wide. Battlements are constructed along the northern side, with 76 evenly spaced crenels, each 0.7 meters square, featuring a 2-meter-wide walkway on top. Midway along the wall there is a square-shaped artillery battery, with the highest point of the rampart located 50 meters southwest of the battery. At an altitude of 688 meters, there is a soldiers' garrison and command post, measuring 9 meters east-west and 3 meters north-south, covering an area of 27 square meters. The foundation consists entirely of meticulously chiseled long strips of bluestone, with rectangular steps in the middle of each side leading into the fort. The entire wall is built from finely cut square bluestones, bonded with a mortar made of glutinous rice and lime. After more than 600 years of weathering, the exposed stone surfaces are all dark bluish-black, distinct from the surrounding rock. According to experts, the stones used to build the wall were all quarried from the mountainside, cut into ashlar blocks, and then transported up the mountain one by one. The sheer scale of the project is truly astounding.

　　Best Time to Visit

　　The Southern Great Wall is located in the western Hunan region. The climate here is subtropical monsoon humid, characterized by mild weather, distinct seasons, abundant sunshine, and plentiful rainfall, with an average annual precipitation of 1300–1500 millimeters. The mean annual temperature ranges from 12°C to 16°C, with July being the hottest month, averaging 24°C to 27°C, and January the coldest, averaging 1.7°C to 4.3°C. The frost-free period lasts 240–288 days. The Southern Great Wall is suitable for travel in all seasons, but the best time to visit is from April to November.

　　Ticket Price: 45 RMB per person

　　Transportation Tips

　　Take a bus from Tujiaolong Station in Fenghuang County to Alazhen, which takes about 20 minutes and costs 6 RMB.