Juyongguan Great Wall
JuYongGuan Great Wall is a pass ('guan' means 'mountain pass') through the mountains located in an 18 km long valley named GuanGou which is in ChangPing County, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Beijing City. Enlisted in the World Heritage Directory in 1987, JuYongGuan Great Wall is a national cultural protection unit.JuYongGuan Pass is one of the three greatest passes of the Great Wall of China. The other two are JiaYuGuan Pass and ShanHaiGuan Pass.
Situated in a valley surrounded by mountains, Juyongguan Pass has long been a military stronghold. 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'.
JuYongGuan had many different names in the past; however, the name JuYongGuan Pass was used by more than 3 dynasties. It was first used in the Qin Dynasty when Emperor QinShiHuang gave the orders to build 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 in Juyongguan Pass.
Cloud Platform- The Juyongguan Great Wall
In the middle of JuYongGuan Great Wall, in the valley, there is 'Cloud Platform' (also called 'Crossing Street Tower'). It was made of white marble during the Yuan Dynasty and has a height of 9.5 m. In the middle of the base of the platform there is an arched doorway. Many animal images were carved both in the arch and the door. On the walls to each side of the door, the statues of gods and scriptures were carved.
There were three white towers on the platform in the past (hence the name 'Crossing Street Tower') but these were destroyed in the transitional period between the Yuan and Ming dynasties. Later Tai'An Temple was built on the platform but this was later destroyed during the Qing dynasty.
The Juyongguan Pass
The Juyongguan Pass
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 Juyongguan Great Wall)
(The Juyongguan Great Wall)
The Juyong Pass area contains many relics associated with popular legends. One of these relics, dating back to the Northern Song Dynasty, is the Five Heroes Temple, which commemorates the ostensible digging of the gully by five men of unusual strength. The fanciful name of the Playing the Zither Gorge (Tanqinxia) is derived from the clear and melodious sounds of the river flowing through it.
(The Juyongguan Great Wall)
(The Juyongguan Great Wall)
Juyongguan Travel Tips
Transportation By Bus:
a. Take the Subway Line 13 and get off at Longze Station in Changping District, take the shuttle bus No.20 and you will reach Juyongguan Pass
b. Take the shuttle bus No.919 (Deshengmen West - Nankou) and get off at Nankou Dongjie Station and take the shuttle bus No.20 which will take you directly to Juyongguan Pass
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