Juyongguan Great Wall is located in Changping District, Beijing. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction and one of the important passes of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. Situated in the Jundu Mountain Gorge of the Taihang Mountains, it has a perilous terrain and serves as an important barrier in northwest Beijing, known as the "First Strategic Pass Under Heaven". The scenic area is characterized by a complete military defense system and unique architectural style. The pass city has a circumference of approximately 4142 meters, covering an area of 400,000 square meters. The city wall is 7.8 meters high, 6.5 meters wide at the base, and 5 meters wide at the top. The wall is equipped with defensive facilities such as battlements and embrasures, demonstrating the superb military architecture skills of ancient times.
Historical Culture
The history of Juyongguan can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, when the Yan State set up a pass here called "Juyong Sai". From the Qin and Han dynasties to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, it was continuously repaired and became a military fortress in the north.
The Ming Dynasty was a period of large-scale construction of Juyongguan, becoming an important pass of the Jizhen Garrison, one of the nine frontier garrisons of the Ming Great Wall. In the first year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1368), General Xu Da presided over the reconstruction of Juyongguan, laying the foundation for the current layout of the pass city. It has witnessed many military events, is related to "Juyong Diecui" (one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Yanjing"), and literati and poets have left a large number of poems, with profound cultural heritage.
Main Attractions
Pass City
Juyongguan Pass City is the core area, presenting an irregular rectangular shape, consisting of the pass city, barbican, and gate towers. There are north and south city gates; the south gate is called "Nankou" and the north gate is called "Beikou". The city walls are paved with blue bricks, and 12 watchtowers are distributed at key positions, used for soldiers to garrison and keep watch on the enemy's situation.
Yuntai (Cloud Platform)
Yuntai is located in the center of the pass city and was originally the base of a through-street pagoda, built in the 5th year of Zhizheng in the Yuan Dynasty (1345). It is made of white marble, 9.5 meters high, 26.84 meters long from east to west, and 17.57 meters wide from north to south. There are stone railings around the top of the platform, carved with exquisite patterns of dragons, phoenixes, lions, etc. On the stone walls inside and outside the archway of Yuntai, there are inscriptions of scriptures and statues in six languages including Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Phags-pa script. These carvings are exquisite in craftsmanship and are important physical materials for studying Yuan Dynasty Buddhist art and characters.
Zhan Tianyou Memorial Hall
Zhan Tianyou Memorial Hall is located near Juyongguan Great Wall, displaying the life story of Zhan Tianyou and the history of the construction of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway. The Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway is the first trunk railway designed and built by China itself. The Badaling Tunnel near Juyongguan was designed and constructed under the auspices of Zhan Tianyou. The memorial hall showcases his patriotic spirit and engineering achievements through physical objects, pictures, and models.
Great Wall Slide
The Great Wall Slide is located on the north slope of Juyongguan, with a total length of 1580 meters, divided into upper and lower sections. Tourists can take the pulley to slide down, enjoying the excitement while appreciating the scenery of the Great Wall. The slide is designed with a focus on safety, equipped with complete facilities, and suitable for tourists of all ages to experience.
Food
Changping Strawberries
Changping District is a famous strawberry-producing area in Beijing, and there are many strawberry picking gardens around Juyongguan. Changping strawberries have plump fruits, bright colors, a sweet and juicy taste, and are rich in vitamin C. The picking season is from December to May of the following year. Tourists can experience the fun of picking and taste fresh strawberries.
Beijing Roast Duck (Surrounding Restaurants)
Restaurants around Juyongguan offer Beijing Roast Duck. This dish is famous for its crispy skin, tender meat, and being fatty but not greasy. Its preparation requires multiple processes such as inflating, scalding the skin, glazing with sugar, air-drying, and roasting. When eating, the sliced duck meat is wrapped with thin pancakes, shredded green onions, shredded cucumbers, and sweet bean sauce, with a delicious taste.
Hot Pot with Lamb Slices (Surrounding Restaurants)
The hot pot with lamb slices in surrounding restaurants uses high-quality sliced lamb, which is blanched in clear soup and then eaten with seasonings such as sesame paste, fermented bean curd, and chive flowers. The meat is tender and has a mellow taste, making it an excellent choice for keeping warm in winter and gathering with friends.
Tickets
The ticket price is 40 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "居庸关长城" to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours of the scenic area are adjusted according to the season. In the peak season (April 1 to October 31), it is from 8:00 to 17:00; in the off-season (November 1 to March 31 of the following year), it is from 8:30 to 16:00. Ticket sales stop half an hour before the scenic area closes, so please arrange your time reasonably.
Tour Route
Tourists can enter the scenic area from Nankou, first visit the south gate and the surrounding city walls and watchtowers to feel the momentum of the pass city. Then go to the central Yuntai to admire the Yuan Dynasty stone carvings. Climb north along the Great Wall, passing through 12 watchtowers, with a total length of about 3 kilometers, to enjoy the steepness of the Great Wall. After reaching Beikou, visit the pass tower to overlook the panoramic view. You can choose to go down the mountain by slide or walk back. If you have enough time, you can visit Zhan Tianyou Memorial Hall. It is recommended to spend 4-6 hours for the whole trip.
Transportation
- Bus: Take bus 877 (from Deshengmen West to Badaling Great Wall), get off at Juyongguan Station, and walk about 500 meters to the entrance. The interval between buses is 10-15 minutes, and the whole journey takes about 1.5 hours.
- Railway: Take the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway from Beijing North Station to Juyongguan Station, then walk about 1 kilometer to reach the scenic area. There are many trains, and the whole journey takes about 30 minutes.
- Self-driving: Drive from Beijing along the Jingzang Expressway (G6), exit at Juyongguan, and follow the road signs to the parking lot. The parking fee is 10 yuan per time for small cars and 20 yuan per time for large cars.
Must-visit Attractions
- Pass City: The core of Juyongguan, with a circumference of about 4142 meters, having north and south gates and multiple watchtowers, demonstrating the integrity of the ancient military defense system.
- Yuntai: The base of the Yuan Dynasty through-street pagoda, 9.5 meters high, 26.84 meters long from east to west, 17.57 meters wide from north to south, with stone walls carved with scriptures and exquisite carvings in six languages.
- North Slope Slide of the Great Wall: With a total length of 1580 meters, you can experience the excitement of sliding down along the Great Wall and enjoy the surrounding scenery.
Travel Suggestions
- Wear comfortable sports shoes, as there are many steps on the Great Wall and some sections are steep, with a long walking distance throughout the trip.
- There are few catering options in the scenic area, so bring your own drinking water and dry food.
- There are many tourists in the peak season, so arrive 1-2 hours in advance to avoid the peak crowd.
- It is recommended to experience the slide in the morning to reduce waiting time.
- It is recommended to spend 4-6 hours for the trip to fully visit all attractions.
Notes
- Smoking and littering are strictly prohibited in the scenic area; please abide by the environmental hygiene regulations.
- Be careful when climbing the Great Wall; do not chase and play on the edge of the city wall, and hold the handrail on steep sections.
- Take good care of cultural relics and historic sites; do not carve or graffiti.
- Mobile phone signals are weak in some areas, so keep in touch with your companions.
- Bring appropriate clothing according to the weather; protect against the sun in summer, keep warm in winter, and prepare rain gear as the weather in mountainous areas is changeable.
- Abide by the opening hours of the scenic area and do not stay after closing.