Jinshanling Greatwall
Jinshanling Great Wall is situated on the Big and Small Jinshanling, hence its name. Based on huge stone bars, the Great Wall was then made by huge bricks, each of which weighed about 12 kilograms (26 pounds). It has five main passes and 67 watchtowers. Every 100 meters (328 feet), there is an enemy tower each of which is about ten meters (33 feet) high. Featuring various structures and having various functions, those watchtowers are either one tiered or two-tiered. On the first floor there are some windows for shooting arrows. The roofs of the towers are many and varied, flat, arched, quadrangular or octagonal. Some are used to store weapons and hay. Others are used as soldiers' bedrooms. Among them, the most celebrated are the Big and Small Jinshan Watchtowers.
On the right is the full view of the Jinshanling Great Wall. Its east end connects to the Simatai Great Wall. Jinshangling Great Wall got its name because it was built on the bigger and the smaller Jinshan Mountains.
The Jinshanling Great Wall was initially built from 1368 to 1389 in the Ming Dynasty, and in 1567 or 1570 rebuilding of the Wall was mainly directed by General Qi Jiguang. Poems and tablet writings can be found on the Jinshanling Great Wall left from the time Qi Jiguang directed building of this section of the Great Wall.
The total length of this section is about eleven kilometers (6.8 miles), and the scenic spot of the Jinshanling Great Wall has an area of 32 square kilometers. The Wall is about seven to eight meters high and five to six meters wide, which is made of brick and stone. The Jinshanling Great Wall has an elevation of 700 meters. Watching Beijing Tower is on the highest position, from which you can see Beijing. The Jinshanling Great Wall is second only to the Badaling Great Wall in its completeness.
There are more than 100 enemy towers along the whole Jinshanling Great Wall. Built stably and elegantly, different towers have different structures and appearances. Rows of 3-meter-high Barrier Walls were built leading to the enemy towers to protect the towers. Some of the towers are storerooms as well. They were used to store food, hay and weapons. Search a Great Wall Tour
Two of so many enemy towers are bigger Jinshan and smaller Jinshan. There is a legend about them. It was said that the two towers were built by 3000 soldiers from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces led northward by Qi Jiguang. In order to remind themselves of their hometowns, the names of bigger and smaller Jinshan Islands in ZhenjiangCity, which is in Jiangsu Province, were used to name the two enemy towers.
As there are relatively few tourists at Jinshanling Great Wall, it is a good place to explore on foot.
In early mornings of spring and summer you can see a remarkable view - "CloudSea" below you from the Wall.
The Jinshanling Great Wall has never been repaired. You are safer when you visit this section of the Great Wall than other parts. It is safer as the service in this section of Great Wall includes that one tour guide is responsible for one tourist, for his/her safety actually. When needed, the tour guides will go hand in hand to protect the tourists.
An 800-meter long cable was built to entertain the tourists. Also a 3-kilometer section of the Wall was rebuilt and is bathed after dark in colored light, making a splendid "Night Great Wall".
The big Jinshan Watchtower has two tiers which are connected by stone stairs. On the top of the tower is a small room used as the soldiers' retiring room. This small room has a unique structure. The rafters and eaves of the room are all made from polished bricks. The Small Jinshan Watchtower was constructed by soldiers from Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces led by Qi Jiguang, a famous general in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). To remind themselves of their hometowns, the tower was named Jinshan which was a pavilion's name in the Jiangxin Island in Zhanjiang.
The Wangjinglou Tower, the General Tower, the Black Tower and the Taochun Tower are also must-sees on the Jinshanling Great Wall. Each tower has its legend. Legend has it that the stone bars used to build the Wangjinglou Tower were carried to the mountain top by Er Lang Shen, the nephew of the Jade Emperor. The general tower was named to commemorate Wu Guihua, a heroine who sacrificed herself to resist northern invader's invasion in the Ming Dynasty. The Black Tower and the Taochun Tower were christened to commemorate two girls, Heigu and Taochun, who made great contributions to the construction of the Great Wall.
The Wall for Preventing the Horses, the Retaining Wall, the Bricks with Words Written on and the Kylin Screen are also renowned and worth a visit. Meanwhile, there is a three-kilometer (two miles) Night Great Wall and an eight hundred meters (0.5 miles) cable way. Anyone who visits the Jinshanling Great Wall should not miss them.
Admission Fee: CNY 50 (Mar. 15 - Nov. 15); CNY 40 (Nov. 16- the next Mar.14)
Cable Way: CNY 50 (round-trip) ; CNY 30 (one-way)
Jinshanling Great Wall Transportation
By Bus
1. Take a bus to Miyun County at Beijing Dongzhimen Long Distance Bus Station, and take the local tourist bus to Jinshanling Great Wall in Miyun County.
2. Take a bus to Chengde at Liuliqiao Long Distance Bus Station, the bus leaves at about every one hour between 08:00 and 18:00, and get off at Jinshanling Intersection, and take a taxi or walk to Jinshanling Great Wall.
Drive Travel – Drive along the "Beijing – Miyun Expressway" and "Beijing – Chengde Expressway", pass Gu Bei Kou Town, go down 10 km (6.2 miles) and arrive at Jinshanling Great Wall.
Jinshanling Dining & Accommodation
Jinshan Hotel
Located 800 meters (875 yards) to Jinshanling Great Wall, Jinshan Hotel is a two star hotel, the only foreign-related hotel in Jinshanling Great Wall scenic area. It is only a twenty-minute walk from the hotel to Jinshanling Great Wall. The hotel features the architecture of Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. It has 62 rooms to accommodate about 130 guests. Both the domestic and international long-distance calls can be placed in the rooms. The meeting room in the hotel is equipped with broad-band access. Jinshan Restaurant in the hotel serves Chinese and Western styles of cuisine. It can receive over 300 people at the same time. There is an open square outside the restaurant. Equipped with professional stage lights and acoustic equipment, it is an ideal place to hold bonfire party and barbecues.
Other Lodgings
Besides, visitors can stay in the hostels at the foot of Jinshanling Great Wall. A room to hold four persons often costs CNY 15 each night. For visitors who prefer to live in the farmhouse, Hua Lou Gou Village is recommended. To sleep on the adobe kang in a villager's home is indeed an unforgettable experience. It costs about CNY 15 per person.
What to eat
Try "Peasant Dish" in Hua Lou Gou Village at the foot of Jinshanling Great Wall. Recommended Dish: Baked Small Corn Cake and Stewed Beancurd with Chinese cabbage
Local Speciality: Walnut, Hawthorn, Mushroom, Bracken, Day lily, Chestnut, Apple, Soybean food and Free range eggs
