Badaling Great Wall
The Great wall originally functioned as a fortification in Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC) when the first emperor of Qin Dynasty, Qinshihuang unified the whole nation and began to build the Great Wall to protect China's borders from the intrusion of the northern nomadic tribes. Most parts of the preserved Badaling Great Wall were built and reinforced during the Ming Dynasty to defend the capital against the invasion of Mongolian people. The structure of the wall consists of huge bar-stones and bricks. The inside of the wall has been formed by tampering earth and small stones, which makes the wall very firm and strong. Internally, the wall is about six meters (20 feet) wide, which would allow horses to gallop five abreast. A number of small holes have been drilled on the wall to allow archers to shoot arrows. There is a barrel-drain and a moat both inside and outside the wall. In a word, military fortification has been paramount in the consideration of every wall detail.
Badaling Great Wall
Introduction
Badaling Great Wall, the most representative part of Great Wall, is a symbol of Chinese civilization, and one of the wonders that the Chinese people have created. In 1988, it was enlisted in the World Cultural Heritage Directory by UNESCO. On July 7, 2007, it gained the worldwide reputation once again: it was listed among the New Seven Wonders of the World.As a landmark erected at the top of a group of mountain ranges, Badaling Great Wall has also witnessed many significant historic events. The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty toured there; Yuan Taizu, the first emperor of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) passed the Badaling Great Wall and then took control over the whole China.
When an alliance of eight western countries invaded Beijing Empress Cixi fled from there to the western part of China in 1900. At present, Badaling Great Wall stands still there recording the hardship and bitterness that Chinese people have endured in the past 2,000 years. In modern history, the West Empress fled Tears Badaling, Zhan Tianyou built the auspices of the Badaling China's first self-built railway - Jing Zhang Railway, Sun Yat-sen to board the Badaling Great Wall and so on, leaving behind a number of historical allusions and valuable historical echoes. It is a priceless cultural heritage of humanity.
Badaling Great Wall is the earliest part of Great Wall sections. Annually, millions of tourists swarm here to experience this great wonder. Badaling scenic area with its magnificent scenery, excellent facilities and deep cultural and historical connotations of the world-famous fascinates tourists from all over the world. There are also handrail helps visitors go up and down.
Badaling owns a superior geographical environment since ancient times that is leading to Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Zhangjiakou traffic arteries. In 1998, the Badaling expressway was opened, as a result, the traffic is very convenient. Moreover, the Badaling in Beijing less than the annual average temperature 3 ℃ above, is a "summer resort". Chaired by Mr. Zhan Tianyou patriotic engineer built the first trunk railway in China - Jing Zhang Railway will pass by here.
Tips:
Do not go to the Great Wall in bad weather (heavy rain, storm or thunderstorm), for there is no lightning rods on the beacon towers, and the stairways will be very slippery, which may put you in danger.
Admission Fee: CNY 45 (Apr. 1 to Oct.31); CNY 40 (Nov.1 to Mar.31)
Cable Car: CNY 40 (single way); CNY 60 (round trip)
Opening Hours: 06:30-19:00 (In summer); 07:00-18:00 (In winter) Transportation
Badaling Great Wall Transportation:
2. By Multiple Unit Train S2
You can take the multiple unit train S2 from Beijing North Railway Station to Badaling. It takes about one hour to reach Badaling. Tickets are available at the station ticket window. The first class ticket costs CNY 17, and the second class ticket costs CNY 14. The entrance to the Great Wall is a fifteen to twenty minute walk from Badaling Railway Station.
Timetable of Multiple Unit Train S2
Train No. Start from Time of Departure Arrive at Time of Arrival Travel Time Air-conditioned
Y563 Beijing North 07:26 Badaling 08:25 59m Yes
Y567 Beijing North 09:33 Badaling 10:42 1h09m Yes
Y571 Beijing North 11:08 Badaling 12:15 1h07m Yes
Y575 Beijing North 13:19 Badaling 14:28 1h09m Yes
Y579 Beijing North 15:01 Badaling 16:10 1h09m Yes
Y587 Beijing North 19:32 Badaling 20:41 1h09m Yes
1. Bus: This is the cheapest and most convenient way. You can take the No. 919 express bus from De Sheng Men station directly to Badaling station. Buses run every 15 minutes from 6:00 to 18:00 and take about 1-1.5 hours by highway with no traffic jams. The bus ticket is CNY12.00 per person for air-conditioned buses and CNY8.00 for standard buses. Do make sure you get on the right bus, since there are several No.919 buses running from the station with different lines. If you are not sure, consult the staff or find for the bus signed "Bus No.919 直快" (direct-fast). Other No. 919 shuttle buses run to Badaling station, but they are slow, with many stops. After getting off the bus at Badaling station, walk eastward for 5-6 minutes, and you will arrive at the foot of the Great Wall.
2. Train: There are also direct bullet-trains from Beijing North Station to Badaling Station. A first-class ticket is CNY23.00 or pay CNY19.00 for a second-class seat. Tickets are easily available. It takes only one hour each way, with no chance of traffic jams. There are six trains in each direction every day.
On the way, you can observe the panorama of the Guan Valley Scenic Area, the Juyongguan Section of the Great Wall, the hundred-year-old Beijing-Zhangjiakou railway (with its unique herringbone rails and famous as the first designed by Chinese) and the statue of Mr. Tianyou Zhan, the designer of the railway.
After getting off the train at Badaling Station, walk eastward for 10-15 minutes and you will arrive at the foot of the Great Wall.
For the detailed train schedule, please refer to the following two links: Beijing North Station to Badaling and From Badaling to Beijing North Station.
Badaling Hiking Routes:
The cable car The Badaling Section of the Great Wall has been restored several times since 1953 and is now a prime tourist destination. An entrance ticket is CNY45.00 per person in high season; CNY40.00 in low season. The total length one can visit is more than 3,700 meters - about 1,200 meters to the south and 2,500 meters to the north. The Badaling Section has 43 watchtowers, of which 16 have been restored for public visits. There are two cable-ways, one leading north to the North 8th watchtower and one leading south to the South 4th watchtower. Tickets are CNY40.00, one-way and CNY60.00 for a round-trip. The area is open 6:30-19:00 in summer and 7:00-18:00 in winter. An electronic guide is available, CNY10.00 per rental in Chinese and CNY40.00 per rental in English, Japanese, Korean and French.
If you are not interested in cable way, your tour should start from Guang Cheng (Pass City), a square city enclosed by a city wall. The characters on the plaque over its east gate mean "Key to North Gate". Over the west gate the plaque reads "Juyong Outskirt". Enter Guang Cheng through the east gate, and you will find the ticket hall on your right. After buying your ticket, you can climb either the south section or north section. The area's highest point is the North 8th Watchtower, so most people hike the north section.
Badaling Great Wall Hiking Tour
For the north segment: From Guang Cheng to the North 4th Watchtower, the wall is 767.5 meters long, with an inclination of 155 meters. When you reach the North 2nd Watchtower, you will find a huge metal made banner saying "One World, One Dream". The topography from the North 3rd Watchtower to the North 4th Watchtower is like a saddle. You need to descend to the bottom of the saddle first, and then climb more than 100 steps up to the North 4th Watchtower. The North 5th Watchtower is a two-storey tower, more than 9 meters long, 9 meters wide with more than 30 arrow loops and view-ports. The North 6th Watchtower has the largest foot-print: about 100 square meters, 12.6 meters long and 8.5 meters wide. From the North 7th Watchtower to the North 8th Watchtower is the steepest part of Badaling Section. The North 8th Watchtower, at an altitude of 888.8 meters, is the highest tower of Badaling. Here you will find the stone monument carved with the saying "He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man". Many people take a picture here to remember this moment. From Guang Cheng to the North 8th Watchtower, the Great Wall winds about 1500 meters, with an inclination of 228 meters. Most visitors end their tour here, but you can continue your hiking all the way to the North 12th Watchtower, where you can see the bronze statue of Mr. Tianyou Zhan. You can retrace your steps along the Great wall or take the cable car down instead.
For the south segment: From Guang Cheng to the South 4th Watchtower, the wall stretches 685.8 meters, with an inclination of 127 meters. That is to say there will be an upward slant of 1 meter every 6 meters in length. The slope between the 3rd and 4th South Watchtowers is very steep. This slope is about 500 meters long. At the most dangerous point, the slope is up to 70 degrees. There are seven watchtowers to visit on the south segment of the wall and you need to go back along the same way.
When you come down from the south section, you will find a Bear Garden which is free to visit. Walking out of the Bear Garden and turning left, you will find the Full Circle Screen Cinema which is also free. The feature re-plays every 30 minutes. Right beside the cinema is the Great Wall Museum, which is included with your ticket to Badaling. The museum is divided into nine exhibition halls, introducing the history and present state of the Great Wall. It also exhibits historical materials, photos, models and relics excavated along the great wall. It is worthwhile to visit.
Surrounding Scenic Spots:
For visitors who prefer to linger in Badaling, a trip to the countryside for a farmhouse visit is strongly recommended. It is a good chance to experience rustic life by staying at a farmer's house, having a farmer's meal and sharing the experience of a farmer's life.
Located at the foot of Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing District, beside the exit 18 of Badaling highway, Chadao Minsu Village is an ideal place to view the Great Wall, experience country life and reflect on old times.
The village used to be a barracks site during the rule of Emperor Jiajing (1521-1566) during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Now cultural relics of the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties such as the Town God's Temple, the Temple of Guan Yu and the ancient courier station can be seen in the village. There are many good farmhouses in the village, such as Hongfu Hostel and Kangjia Laodian Farmhouse. They offer the authentic peasant dishes and comfortable accommodation at reasonable price.
Water Pass Great Wall (Shuiguan)
Take bus No.919 at Badaling Station and ask the bus driver to stop at Shuiguan Pass.
Juyongguan Pass
Take bus No.919 at Badaling Station and arrive at Juyongguan Station. Badaling and Juyongguan are located quite near by.
China Great Wall Museum
Located at the foot of Badaling Great Wall, it should not be missed when you visit Badaling. Enter and learn.
How to get to Ming Tombs from Badaling Great Wall
You can take the bus no.919 (Slow) from Badaling Station and get off at Ming Huang La Xiang Gong Station (The Ming Dynasty Wax Museum), and take bus no.314 and get off at Dingling Tomb (one of the thirteen Ming Tombs).
