The starting and ending points of the Great Wall

Lintao, Xinjiang, Jiayuguan

According to historical documents, there are three dynasties in which the length of the Great Wall exceeds 5,000 kilometers: the first is the Great Wall built by Qin Shihuang, which starts from Lintao in the west and ends in Liaodong in the east. The second is the Great Wall built by the Han Dynasty, which starts from present-day Xinjiang in the west and ends in Liaodong in the east, with a total length of more than 13,000 kilometers. The third is the Great Wall built by the Ming Dynasty, which starts from Jiayuguan in the west and ends at the Yalu River in the east, with a total length of 8851.8. km. The Great Wall, also known as the Great Wall, is a military defense project in ancient China. It is a tall, strong and continuous wall used to limit the movement of enemy cavalry. The Great Wall is not a simple and isolated city wall, but a defense system with the city wall as the main body and a large number of cities, barriers, pavilions and signs.

The Jiayuguan Great Wall is located in the southwest corner of Jiayuguan City, Gansu Province. It is named after it was built at the foot of Jiayu Mountain. It is the starting point of the western end of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. It was built in the fifth year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1372). It is the best preserved along the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. A complete city gate, the first pass in Hexi, and an important stop on the Silk Road.

The earliest Great Wall was the Earthen Great Wall, which many people have not seen. In fact, they wrapped the outer layer of the Great Wall and peeled off the outer layer to reveal the soil inside. Each layer was made of reeds used for drainage. The soil was more than six meters high. More than three meters thick, this is the prototype of the ancient Great Wall. But now, with artillery, there are more heavy weapons. The Great Wall of Earth could no longer withstand it, so the Great Wall of Brick and Stone was built.

The famous pass of the Great Wall

Shanhaiguan

Shanhaiguan, also known as Yuguan, Yuguan and Linlu Pass, is located 15 kilometers northeast of Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province , is one of the northeastern passes of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. Before 1990, it was considered the starting point of the eastern end of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. It is known as one of the "three wonders" of the Great Wall of China (Shanhaiguan in the east, Zhenbeitai in the middle, and Jiayuguan in the west) and "Jiayu Pass" in the west. It is known as the "No. 1 Pass in the World" and "the throat of border counties and the guarantee of the capital". It echoes the Jiayu Pass thousands of miles away and is famous all over the world.

Address: Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province

Juyongguan

Juyongguan is a famous ancient pass city along the Great Wall north of Beijing and one of the "Nine Fortresses in the World" , the eighth of the "Taihang Eighth Routes", a national cultural relics protection unit. The canyon where Guancheng is located belongs to the military capital mountainous area of ??the remaining Taihang Mountains. It is flanked by the Western Mountains, with huge streams and cliffs below, and the terrain is extremely dangerous. Juyongguan, Zijingguan, Daomaguan and Guguan were also known as the four famous passes in the west of Beijing in the Ming Dynasty. Among them, Juyongguan, Zijingguan and Daomaguan were also known as the three inner passes.

Address: Juyongguan Village, Nankou Town, Changping District, Beijing

Niangzi Pass

The existing pass at Niangzi Pass was built in the Ming Dynasty. Niangzi Pass is the ninth pass of the Great Wall It is a battleground for military strategists of all ages. The ancient castle is located high up on the mountains and rivers, and has two gates. The east gate is an ordinary brick city gate with the inscription "Zhili Niangzi Pass" on the forehead. There is a platform castle above, which seems to be used to review soldiers and watch the enemy's situation. natural barrier. There are also more than ten scenic spots such as Chengtian Village, Laojun Cave, Jealous Girl Temple, Beacon Tower, Pointing Station, Washbasin, Summer House, etc. It is said that they were built by Princess Pingyang in the Tang Dynasty when she was stationed.

Address: Niangziguan Town, Pingding County, Yangquan City, Shanxi Province