Located in Bakshiying Town, Luanping County, Chengde City, Hebei Province, the Jinshanling Great Wall Scenic Area is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, a World Cultural Heritage site, and one of the best-preserved sections of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall in China. Adjacent to Simatai Great Wall in the east and Gubeikou Great Wall in the west, it is situated in the eastern part of the Yanshan Mountains, with an altitude between 400 and 900 meters. The total area is about 30 square kilometers, among which the main line of the Great Wall is about 10.5 kilometers long, with 158 watchtowers, 67 battle platforms, and 2 beacon towers distributed along it, boasting the highest architectural density among the Ming Great Wall sections.
Known for its "steepness, density, strangeness, ingenuity, and completeness", the Jinshanling Great Wall features various types of watchtowers, including brick-wood structures and stone-wood structures. Some watchtowers preserve Ming Dynasty murals and inscripted steles. The scenic area presents different landscapes in four seasons: apricot blossoms in spring, dense shade in summer, colorful forests in autumn, and silver snow in winter, making it a paradise for photographers and an important physical material for studying the Ming Dynasty military defense system.
History and Culture
The Jinshanling Great Wall was first built in the first year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368), presided over by General Xu Da. Later, it was expanded under the successive supervision of Qi Jiguang and Tan Lun, commanders of Jizhou Town, and was basically completed in the fifth year of the Longqing reign (1571). Relying on the natural barrier of the Yanshan Mountains, the Great Wall formed a defense system of "using the terrain to build barriers", which is one of the most representative military projects of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall.
In history, the Jinshanling Great Wall was an important barrier for defending the capital, resisting numerous invasions by northern nomadic peoples. After the Qing Dynasty, the Great Wall gradually lost its military function, but due to its exquisite architecture and good preservation, it has become an important carrier for studying Ming Dynasty military affairs, architecture, and culture. In 1987, the Jinshanling Great Wall was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site as an important part of the Chinese Great Wall, and in 2007, it was rated as a national 5A-level tourist attraction.
Main Attractions
Obstacle Walls
Obstacle walls are unique buildings of the Jinshanling Great Wall. There are more than 10 such walls distributed in a 500-meter section of the Great Wall, each 2 to 3 meters high and 1.5 to 2 meters wide, with observation holes and shooting holes on the walls. The function of the obstacle walls was to allow the garrison to resist step by step when the enemy broke through the outer wall, representing an innovative design in the Ming Dynasty Great Wall defense system.
Inscribed Brick Watchtowers
Inscribed brick watchtowers are named for the bricks with inscriptions used in their walls, mainly distributed in the eastern part of the scenic area, with the "General Tower" as a typical representative. These inscribed bricks are engraved with words such as "Built by the Left Camp of Shandong in the fifth year of Wanli" and "Built by the Right Department of Zhenwu Camp in the fifth year of Wanli", recording the information of the construction troops at that time, and are precious physical materials for studying the construction history of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall.
Simatai Reservoir
Simatai Reservoir is located at the foot of the eastern section of the Jinshanling Great Wall. It is a small reservoir with a storage capacity of about 150,000 cubic meters. The reservoir has clear water and is surrounded by green mountains, forming a unique landscape of "the Great Wall winding around clear water" in harmony with the Great Wall. Visitors can enjoy the reflection of the Great Wall by the reservoir or take a boat tour (fare: 30 yuan/person).
Dajinshan Tower and Xiaojinshan Tower
Dajinshan Tower and Xiaojinshan Tower are landmark buildings of the Jinshanling Great Wall, located in the middle of the scenic area, composed of two adjacent watchtowers. Dajinshan Tower was built in the fourth year of the Longqing reign (1570), about 10 meters high, divided into upper and lower floors. The upper floor is an observation room, and the lower floor is a garrison area for soldiers. Xiaojinshan Tower has a similar shape to Dajinshan Tower and is famous for the legend that Qi Jiguang once commanded battles here.
West Five-Eyed Tower and East Five-Eyed Tower
The West Five-Eyed Tower and East Five-Eyed Tower are large watchtowers in the Jinshanling Great Wall, named for having five observation holes on each floor. The West Five-Eyed Tower is located in the western section of the scenic area, about 12 meters high, and is a hollow watchtower that can accommodate hundreds of people inside. The East Five-Eyed Tower is located in the eastern section of the scenic area, with more exquisite architectural style. The top of the tower has the remains of a shop, which is a typical case for studying the internal structure of Ming Dynasty watchtowers.
Cuisine
Luanping Tofu
Luanping tofu is a local traditional delicacy, made from high-quality soybeans and mountain spring water, with fine texture and delicious taste. Common practices include tofu mixed with scallions, home-style stewed tofu, etc. Among them, "Vinegar-Fried Tofu" is the most famous, with crispy exterior and tender interior, sweet and sour taste, about 20 yuan per capita. It is recommended to taste it in farmhouses around the scenic area.
Fried Gezhi
Fried Gezhi is a characteristic snack of Luanping County, made by mixing mung bean noodles and millet noodles into thin pancakes, then cutting them into pieces and frying them until golden. The finished product is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, eaten with mashed garlic and vinegar, with a unique taste, about 15 yuan per portion, and is one of the local snacks that visitors must try.
Braised Free-Range Chicken with Mushrooms
Braised Free-Range Chicken with Mushrooms is a signature dish in farmhouses around the Jinshanling Great Wall, made from local free-range chickens and wild pine mushrooms, slowly braised with firewood. The chicken is tender, the mushrooms are flavorful, and the soup is rich, with a strong local flavor, about 40 yuan per capita, suitable for eating in autumn and winter.
Lǘ Dǎgǔn (Donkey Rolling)
Lǘ Dǎgǔn is a traditional northern snack, also sold around the Jinshanling Great Wall Scenic Area. It is made by steaming glutinous rice flour and wrapping it with soybean flour and brown sugar. The name comes from the last process, which resembles the yellow soil raised by a donkey rolling in the suburbs of old Beijing. Each portion is about 10 yuan, sweet but not greasy, and is a good tea-time choice.
Tickets
The admission ticket is 65 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "金山岭长城" to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is open throughout the year. Opening hours are: April 1 - October 31: 6:00 - 19:00 (last entry at 18:30); November 1 - March 31 of the following year: 7:00 - 17:00 (last entry at 16:30). In case of extreme weather or special events, the opening hours may be adjusted, subject to the announcement of the scenic area.
Tour Routes
Classic One-Day Tour Route
In the morning, enter from the east gate of the scenic area, take a cable car (or hike) to "Xiaojinshan Tower", visit Dajinshan Tower and obstacle walls, about 1.5 hours; then walk west along the main line of the Great Wall to "General Tower" to admire the inscribed brick watchtowers, about 1 hour. Have lunch at a farmhouse at the foot of the Great Wall, tasting Luanping tofu and braised free-range chicken with mushrooms. In the afternoon, continue west to visit "West Five-Eyed Tower", climb the tower to overlook the Yanshan Mountains, about 1 hour; then return to the east gate, visiting "East Five-Eyed Tower" on the way, about 1 hour, ending the tour. This route covers the core attractions of the scenic area, combining hiking and cable car, suitable for most visitors.
Photography In-depth Two-Day Tour Route
On the first day, enter from the west gate in the early morning, hike to "West Five-Eyed Tower" to shoot the sunrise, then tour east to "Dajinshan Tower and Xiaojinshan Tower" to capture the beauty of the Great Wall in the morning light, and rest near "General Tower" at noon. In the afternoon, continue east to "East Five-Eyed Tower" to shoot the Great Wall at sunset, and stay in a homestay around the scenic area in the evening. On the second day, start from the east gate in the early morning, hike to "Simatai Reservoir" to shoot the reflection of the Great Wall, then return to the homestay for meals, and visit the Great Wall Museum (free of charge) in the afternoon to learn about the history and culture of the Jinshanling Great Wall, ending the in-depth photography tour.
Transportation
- Self-driving: From Beijing, take Jingcheng Expressway → Daguang Expressway → Jingmi Expressway, exit at Simatai, and drive about 15 kilometers along Mabei Road to arrive, about 2.5 hours' drive; from Chengde, take Daguang Expressway → Jingmi Expressway, about 2 hours' drive. The scenic area parking lot charges 10 yuan per day.
- Long-distance Bus: Beijing Dongzhimen Long-distance Bus Station has a direct tourist special line to Jinshanling Great Wall, departing at 8:00 and returning at 16:00, fare 40 yuan/person, about 2 hours' drive; Luanping County Bus Station has buses to Jinshanling Great Wall, departing from 6:30 to 17:30, about every 30 minutes, fare 15 yuan/person.
- Train: Take a train from Beijing East Station to Chengde, get off at Luanping Station, then transfer to a local bus to Jinshanling Great Wall, about 3 hours in total; or take a high-speed rail to Miyun Station, then take a taxi to the scenic area, costing about 150 yuan.
- Scenic Area Transportation: The scenic area has sightseeing buses and cable cars. The sightseeing bus connects the east and west gates, fare 10 yuan/person; the cable car goes from the east gate to Xiaojinshan Tower, 40 yuan/person one-way, 60 yuan/person round-trip.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Dajinshan Tower and Xiaojinshan Tower: Landmark buildings of the Jinshanling Great Wall, climbing the tower offers a panoramic view of the Great Wall, recommended visit time 1.5 hours.
- Inscribed Brick Watchtower (General Tower): Preserves Ming Dynasty inscribed bricks, an important physical object for studying the history of the Great Wall, recommended visit time 1 hour.
- Obstacle Walls: Unique buildings of the Jinshanling Great Wall, reflecting the military defense wisdom of the Ming Dynasty, recommended visit time 0.5 hour.
- West Five-Eyed Tower: A large hollow watchtower with a wide view, suitable for shooting panoramic photos, recommended visit time 1 hour.
- Simatai Reservoir: Admire the reflection of the Great Wall, can take a boat tour (30 yuan/person), recommended visit time 1 hour.
Tour Tips
- Recommended visit time: 1-2 days. If you want to deeply experience the scenery and photography of the Great Wall, it is recommended to arrange 2 days.
- Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) are the best seasons to visit the Jinshanling Great Wall, with clear weather and beautiful scenery; summer (June-August) is hot, so sun protection and hydration are needed; winter (November-March) the Great Wall is covered with snow, with unique scenery, but pay attention to warmth and anti-slip.
- Some sections of the Great Wall are steep, so it is recommended to wear non-slip shoes and comfortable clothing. The elderly and children can choose to take the cable car.
- Photographers can carry telephoto lenses to shoot panoramic photos of the Great Wall at "Dajinshan Tower" and "West Five-Eyed Tower"; early morning and evening are the golden hours for shooting, so arrive at the shooting point in advance.
- There are no large restaurants in the scenic area, so it is recommended to dine in surrounding farmhouses and taste local specialties such as Luanping tofu and braised free-range chicken with mushrooms.
Notes
- The Great Wall in the scenic area is a cultural relic protection unit. It is forbidden to carve or graffiti on the walls, and climbing unopened areas is prohibited.
- Some watchtower steps are high and steep, so pay attention to safety when going up and down, especially for visitors with children.
- There are many mosquitoes in the scenic area in summer, so carry mosquito repellent; some sections are icy in winter, so walk carefully.
- The accommodation conditions of farmhouses around the scenic area are limited. If you need to stay, it is recommended to book in advance and choose regular homestays.
- Self-driving tourists should follow the parking regulations of the scenic area and do not park vehicles in non-parking areas to avoid affecting traffic.