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Juyongguan Pass of Great Wall

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Juyongguan Pass of Great Wall

Juyongguan Pass is located 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Changping County, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Beijing. It is a renowned pass of the Great Wall of China. Enlisted in the World Heritage Directory in 1987, it is a national cultural protection unit.

Situated in a valley surrounded by mountains, Juyongguan Pass has long been a military stronghold. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC) and Warring States Period (476BC-221BC), the Yan State built fortifications here. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-589)

This section was linked to the Great Wall of China. This pass served as a natural barrier to the capital of Yuan (1271-1368) and Ming (1368-1644) Dynasties. Therefore, immediately after the founding of his reign, Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, ordered the pass to be rebuilt to protect the borders from intrusions of the Mongolian tribe. Many fierce battles were fought here.

The pass is roughly circular with a perimeter of about 4,142 meters (about 4,530 yards). It consists of two passes, one in the south, one in the north, respectively called 'Nan Kou' and 'Badaling'.

In the middle of the pass lies a high platform called 'Cloud Platform', which is made of white marble. In the Yuan Dynasty, three stone towers were built on the platform. At the end of Yuan Dynasty, they were burnt down. Later, a temple called 'Tai'an' was built on the site, but it was burnt down during the reign of Emperor Kang Xi of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), after which only the platform remained. Inside the platform is an arched doorway. On the walls of the doorway, the statues of four heavenly gods and sutra scriptures are carved.

Juyongguan Pass is not just a military stronghold, but also a beautiful scenic spot. Around the pass, beautiful flowers and lush trees dot the mountains. A splendid picture! As early as the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), it was named as one of the eight best scenery of Beijing. The extant pass was built in the Ming Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, reconstruction work was neglected. In 1992 and 2000, the pass was renovated.

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