The Great Wall in autumn exudes charm and vitality everywhere. Unconsciously, it adds a touch of tenderness to the towering momentum. Seeing the various forms of Great Wall ruins and the walls eroded by time, it brings people a profound spiritual shock. The Great Wall, the setting sun, the mountains and rivers, the past and present, witnessing the vicissitudes of history and the smoke of the past.

Zijinguan Great Wall

Zijinguan is located 45 kilometers west of Yixian County and is one of the nine famous passes in China. Along with Juyongguan and Daomaguan, they are known as the "Three Inner Passes" and were an important defense line in western Beijing in the past.

It was first built in the Warring States period and has a history of more than 2,200 years. It was named after the Zijingling where the pass was located. The terrain is extremely dangerous, with Wanrenshan to the east, Xiniushan to the west, and the broad riverbed of the Juma River running north of the Great Wall.

Unlike any other famous pass in China, its city layout was built along the mountain terrain according to the local geographical environment. This unique architectural layout can respond to each other during combat, and each city can also fight independently, forming a complete defense system with high military value.

It has been in constant warfare throughout the ages. In order to capture Jinzhongdu, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan, besieged Juyongguan for a long time, and then sent troops to attack Zijinguan from the south, attacking from both inside and outside. After the Tumu Crisis in the Ming Dynasty, the Mongolian Wala tribe also attacked and broke through Zijinguan and advanced towards Beijing... The philosopher Gu Yanwu said: "Juyongguan is the back of China, and Zijingguan is the throat of China. If there is an emergency, it will choke my throat and attach to my back." This points out the important strategic position of Zijinguan guarding northern China.

After experiencing the "smoke of war" at Zijinguan, one admires even more the hardships of the predecessors who built the Zijinguan Great Wall.

Daomaguan Great Wall

The Daomaguan Great Wall site is located in Daomaguan Village, Daomaguan Township, 60 kilometers northwest of Tang County, Baoding. Looking south from the top of the distant mountain, surrounded by water, walking among them is like entering a gallery of mountains, waters, and fields.

Where did the name "Daomaguan" come from? There are different historical records from various dynasties, but one reason is for sure: Daomaguan was named after its steep terrain.

The existing Daomaguan City was first built in the third year of the Ming Dynasty's Jingtai era (1452 AD). Later, in the first year of the Chenghua era (1465 AD), a large-scale repair was carried out. The original Daomaguan was magnificent and grand. The city wall is about 2.5 kilometers long, and the city covers an area of about 70,000 square meters. The city was built with bluestone, natural stone, and green bricks. However, it is difficult to see its former grandeur today. The east, west, and north gates of Daomaguan City have been destroyed, and only the west wall of the city wall remains intact, while the other three sides have been demolished, with only partial traces remaining.

In recent years, relevant departments have taken effective actions to promote the restoration project of the Ming Great Wall at Daomaguan, which has given us more expectations for the future of this thousand-year-old pass.

Wulonggou Great Wall

Wulonggou Great Wall is located in Wulonggou Township, Laiyuan County. It is one of the most well-preserved sections of the Great Wall in China, with a history of more than 400 years of erosion, war, and weathering, but it remains intact. It has never been extensively repaired or carved, and retains its original flavor and ancient charm. Its architectural structure and construction art are quite exquisite.

The average altitude of the Wulonggou Great Wall is 1200 meters. This section of the Great Wall was built during the Ming Dynasty, from the first to the fourth year of the Wanli era (1573-1576 AD), and was repaired during the Chongzhen era. Today, the Wulonggou Great Wall is very well-preserved.

The entire section of the Great Wall is mostly built with stones, while the watchtowers are built with green bricks. Except for the top floor of one watchtower that has been demolished, they are almost intact. Why is it so well-preserved? Perhaps it is because Laiyuan has abundant limestone resources, and the brick walls of the watchtowers are all filled with lime. In fact, the main reason is that there is less human destruction. Apart from the natural collapse of the city walls, there are few signs of human destruction.

The watchtowers and walls of each section of the Wulonggou Great Wall, whether intact or in ruins, have preserved the natural state of the Great Wall quite well. At the same time, due to the dangerous terrain and concentrated distribution of the watchtowers, the landscape is magnificent and majestic.

Shiwo Great Wall

Shiwo Great Wall is located in Laiyuan County, Baoding. It winds through strange rocks, and the wall is built entirely of rough stones, while the base of the watchtowers is made of bluestone and the upper part is made of bricks. Its biggest feature is that the Great Wall is surrounded by giant and strange rocks, creating a unique picture of the Great Wall.

Here, there are 60 kilometers of well-preserved city walls, with 142 watchtowers, and the main structure is still quite intact.

The most wonderful thing about the Shiwow Great Wall is that when the mountain rhododendrons are in full bloom, there are still cold rivers in the mountain gullies. The river temperature is below zero and freezes, even at the end of April, it still doesn't melt, echoing with the rhododendrons in the mountains and fields, making for a dazzling and unparalleled scenery.

In autumn, although the glacier rhododendron beauty cannot be seen, looking at the ancient Great Wall, appreciating the charm of the broken city walls, feeling its grandeur and magnificence, is also a beautiful experience.

Yanmeidong Great Wall

Yanmeidong Great Wall, an authentic Ming Dynasty Great Wall, is located in Yanmeidong Township, Laiyuan County, Baoding, about 30 kilometers away from Laiyuan County. Here, the edges are sharp, and you can see the sea of clouds after the rain. At night, you can also take pictures of the Milky Way and star trails.

If you come here in the early morning, climb high and look far, the sun rises slowly from the east, the golden light awakens the sleeping mountains, and the mountains and valleys are covered with gentle colors.

The canyons, giant rocks, and forests of the Taihang Mountains are primitive and rough. In the misty morning, the Great Wall gradually reveals its majestic body. At the top of the mountains, in the increasingly bright sunlight, the Great Wall is like a giant dragon, winding, undulating, and galloping.

Langyakou Great Wall

Langyakou Great Wall is the latest section of the Laiyuan Great Wall to be built. Due to its key geographical location, it began to be built in the 13th year of the Ming Dynasty's Wanli reign to strengthen the defense of the Langya dangerous road. It belongs to a part of the inner Great Wall and was mainly used in ancient times to guard against the invasion of nomadic peoples. Because of its special geographical location, it has always been a place of contention for military strategists.

Langyakou is located on a gentle ridge between two peaks of the Taihang Mountains, with a total length of 926 meters of border walls and a treacherous terrain of 5,300 meters. Langyakou Pass is a stone arch gate, with a door hole about 2.5 meters high and 2 meters wide. On both sides of the pass, there are about 6 meters high stone walls, which have the momentum of "one man guarding the pass, ten thousand unable to pass".

During the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Langyakou was a base area. Today, although the smoke of war has dissipated, this ancient pass of Langyakou still stands on the mountain after hundreds of years of wind and rain, still quietly guarding this land.