It's not easy to get out of Beijing these days, so you can travel around! If you have time, you can take a stroll through an ancient town, which is a great option! The historic town is like a city's back door, recording its past. In today's hurried modern environment, those of us who are progressively losing our bearings might as well seek out a historical town and leave our minds alone.
No. 1 Changyucheng
Changyucheng, an old Ming Dynasty city, is located northwest of Liucun Town in Changping District. Huangtu Xiling is a mountain beam on its northern side. The Yan Great Wall was built 2300 years ago on a mountain beam more than 1,400 meters above sea level. It is Beijing's tallest Great Wall. Changyucheng was a strategic military outpost during the Ming Dynasty.
The foliage is dense here, and the air is fresh. Every spring, the aroma of blossoms pervades the highlands. During the summer, the trees are lush, the air is pleasant, and the average temperature is roughly 5°C lower than in the city. The autumn and winter seasons here also have their own beauty.
Address: Liucun Town, Changping District, Beijing
Transportation: Self-drive to Changyucheng, take the Chang 33 bus, and get off at Changyucheng.
No.2 Yaoqiao Castle
Yaoqiaoyu Village has a long history and is located in the east of Xinchengzi rural, Miyun District, 130 km from Beijing and 50 km from Miyun County.
Yaoqiaoyu Minsu (folk culture) Hamlet was the first village in Beijing to receive folk tourism, and it has played a leading and promoting role in the development of folk customs in Beijing. "Yaoqiao Castle" is a frontier guard castle built during the Ming Dynasty. The castle was built in the 26th year of Wanli's reign during the Ming Dynasty. The Yaoqiao Castle was meticulously planned and outfitted with comprehensive facilities, which had significant strategic value at the time.
Transportation: Self-drive to Yaoqiao Castle or take Mi 39 bus and get off at Yaoqiaoyu Station.
No.3 Liugou Folk-custom Travel Resort
The historic Yanqing District has left several historical villages that have seen ups and downs. A well-known Liugou Folk-custom Travel Resort is located in Jingzhuang Town. During the late Ming Dynasty, soldiers were stationed in the ancient city, according to historical data. The old city still has relics like ancient walls, gates, wells, and the ruins of the Great Wall visible on the mountain today.
Address: Liugou Village, Jingzhuang Town, Yanqing District, Beijing
Transportation: Self-drive to Liugou Folk-custom Travel Resort or take the Y8 bus and get off at the Ersi intersection.
No.4 Yongning Ancient City
Yongning Ancient City is located 18 km east of Beijing's Yanqing District, where numerous religious sceneries may be found. It serves as a transportation center in the mountainous terrain east of Yanqing and is now the seat of the Yongning Town Government. This is a place steeped in nostalgia. Yongning's old streets have a lengthy history. The culture and economy of this region had grown significantly, particularly during the Ming and Qing dynasties. There were shops and merchants everywhere at the time, and it served as a commercial distribution center for Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Tianjin, and other provinces. The city is densely packed with hotels, inns, and restaurants. Today, walking through the streets, you can still see traces of the past, giving the impression that you have traveled back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Address: Changchi Road, Yongning Town, Yanqing District, Beijing
Transportation: Self-drive to Yongning Ancient City or take the 925 bus and get off at Yongning.
No.5 Wanping City
Wanping City is North China's sole well-preserved two-door guard city. The city has two entrances, one in the east and one in the west. The city is 640 meters long east-west and 320 meters width north-south. The city has a total size of roughly 20 hectares. It was recognized as the first batch of national essential cultural relics protection units by the State Council in 1961; in 1984, the state dedicated special funding to rehabilitate the city walls and the east and west towers; and in 1987, it was opened to tourists. The Beijing Municipal Government chose towards the close of the twentieth century to restore Wanping City's historic appearance during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The Wanping City area in southwest Beijing has become a sightseeing and tourism attraction that integrates history, culture, art, and patriotism education thanks to the efforts of the local government.
Address: Chengnan Street, Fengtai District, Beijing
Transportation: Self-drive to Wanping City or take relevant bus.
No. 6 Yanhe Town
The Yanhe Town Great Wall is located in the Mentougou District, where absolutely no tourism development has been carried out, and everything has retained its original appearance.
The village was once the primary route leading to the capital, located in the Grand Canyon to the northwest of Mentougou District. Yanhe Town has a city wall fortification as a military fortress. The city wall entirely encircles the settlement. Because of its defensive qualities, it is feasible to reduce the length of the border while selecting a village form to assist the encircling of the city wall. As a result, the entire community has a defensive concentration layout.
Address: Yanhecheng Village, Yanhecheng Township, Mentougou District, Beijing
Transportation: Self-drive to Yanhe Town or take the M15 or M33 bus and get off at Yanhe City.
Translated by LUO Xiongwei
Edited by LIU Yu
