Most people would be familiar with Disney’s animated film and live-action adaptation of the story of Mulan. Set during the Han Dynasty, Mulan’s father is conscripted to join the imperial army. Unbeknownst to her frail father, Mulan takes his place by impersonating a man and together with General Shang, she battles the Hun invasion.
However, the fictional Mulan is based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan from the Northern Wei Dynasty (4th-6th century AD). In the folk story, known as the Ballad of Mulan, dressed as a man, Mulan takes her father’s place in the imperial army and spends the next decade as a cavalry soldier, never revealing her gender.
In real life, a war took place between the Wei and a Mongol state called Rouran that, according to the ballad, lasted 12 years. The wars took place between Black Mountain, Wei State and Mount Yanran, Rouran, with Shahukou Pass, a Great Wall fortification at the centre of it. In the ballad, Mulan set off for Yellow River, then headed north towards Black Mountain when she hears the northern enemy’s horses neighing fiercely.
Mulan describes how after many years at war and many generals lost, only the brave warriors return home. As gratitude, the emperor bestows the warriors with gifts and titles, and he offers Mulan a ministerial position of the highest order.
Mulan, however, rejects the offer and retires to her hometown. Before she leaves court, she changes into women’s clothing, thereby revealing her gender, much to the surprise of her comrades.
The story is quite short but it has become a popular tale encouraging and inspiring young girls to be brave.
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Datong has a long history, dating as far back as the 5th century BC when it served as a military fort during the Zhao Dynasty. When the Qin replaced the Zhao in 221 BC, the emperor ordered the Great Wall to be extended on its western border, north of Datong.
When the Han Dynasty replaced the Qin, Datong became the headquarters for its eastern frontier. Then the Northern Wei Dynasty replaced the Han and they set up the capital in Datong. The Wei walled the city in 421 AD, with an outer wall circumference of 10mi (16km), then proceeded to build palaces and official buildings on a grand scale. As devout Buddhists, they built many beautiful temples that continue to exist today. To settle the new city, many Chinese families were forcibly moved from their home towns in the north.
The Wei also built the massive Yungang Grottoes, a collection of caves containing over 50,000 Buddha carvings. The caves are packed with statues of varying sizes, with the smallest barely 1.5in (4cm) tall. Other caves are brightly painted in rich colours of red, yellow, green and blue. A handful of large scale, intricately detailed Buddha sculptures can be found inside and outside the caves, with some measuring up to 23ft (7m) in height. In 2001 the caves were designated a UNESCO site.
The Hanging Monastery, located 40mi (64km) northwest of the city, is a stunning piece of engineering. It was built into a cliff 246ft (75m) above the ground by a monk about 1,500 years ago. The structure is resting on oak cross beams that are fitted into holes carved in the cliffs. This is one of a few temples that combines the three Chinese philosophies: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
Fast forward to the 21st century and the city walls of Datong have been fully rebuilt, complete with watchtowers, drawbridges and a moat. Inside is a combination of 6-storey apartment blocks and old courtyard homes. Temples, monasteries and palaces are mixed in with shops and restaurants. The highlight is the surviving 14th century screen wall named Nine-Dragon-Wall. It is 147ft (45m) long and 26ft (8m) tall with reliefs depicting nine different dragons. The wall was originally in front of a palace, designed to protect homes from evil spirits and negative energy. Ironically, the screen continues to exist but the palace is long gone.
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The Great Wall as we know it is a structure made of bricks and stones. It has forts and passes, watchtowers and beacon towers. All very well organised to create a complete defence system.
However, the construction materials used across the entirety of the Wall depended on the location’s climate, i.e. desert to the west, mountains to the east, and what was locally available to quarry. The main materials used were: earth, reeds, sand, wood, stones and bricks.
Workers would begin a section by building the towers first. They were made of wood and sun-dried mud bricks with sloping walls for stability. The rooftops were lookout and signalling stations. If enemies were spotted, fire was ignited in rooftop pits signalling the next tower to call for troops. Each tower then built a fire, becoming one long emergency call for assistance.
Outposts were built next on the enemy side of the Wall. These were forts occupied by garrisons who formed the first line of defence. They met the enemy first, before the rest of the Chinese armies arrived.
When the towers and outposts were complete, the workers built the connecting walls by first erecting a bamboo frame. Dirt was dug out from nearby and dropped into the frame, the workers would then ram the dirt until compact. The dirt was added in layers until it reached the top of the frame. When finished, the frame was moved down the line and the process started again.
Rubble was used to line the wall, stone lined the top and the road was paved. Battlements 6ft (1.8m) high had crenels and loopholes. Three storey watchtowers were built for surveillance and one to two storey beacon towers were for communications. Fortresses held the command posts and their gatehouses served as passes.
Where possible, they used mountains and rivers as natural barriers, saving labour and costs and on steep mountain slopes they only built a single thin wall.
These basic principles of building were used all the way through the Ming era. With material and technological advancement, the Ming just made the Wall bigger and better by covering the walls with bricks and stone and used sticky rice to strengthen and waterproof their mortar mix. Making it more attractive was the added bonus.
Fast Facts:
Average height: 20-23ft (6-7m)
Average width: 13-16ft (4-5m)
Highest elevation: 4,722ft (1,439m)
Lowest elevation: just above sea level
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First built in 1505 to protect the Juyong Pass, Badaling was fully restored in the 1950s and was the first section to open to tourism. Badaling is also the last major tourist centre and is where the Wall that most people know about ends.
Stretching across mountain ridges, the width of the Wall is 19ft (5.7m), intentionally built to accommodate five horsemen galloping across side by side or ten soldiers marching shoulder to shoulder. Split into north and south, Badaling has 30 watchtowers – eight south of the main gate and 12 north of it. Its highest point is at 3,300ft (1,500m) with grand panoramic views of lush landscape and rocky terrain. Boardwalks and railings have been installed as part of the renovations.
Close to Beijing, Badaling was a major defence border on the northern frontier. When Genghis Khan unified the Mongolian tribes and established his empire, he set his sights on China. Many military conquests north of the Wall ensued over the next sixty years until his grandson, Kublai Khan, ascended the throne as Mongol Emperor in 1260. Establishing the Yuan Dynasty a decade later, he set up his capital in modern-day Beijing. When in 1279, he conquered the Song Dynasty in southern China, Kublai reunified the country and became the first Mongol to rule all of China. The Yuan Dynasty ruled until 1368 when they were defeated by the rebel leader Zhou Yuanzhang, who founded the Ming Dynasty.
Famous merchant and explorer, Marco Polo, spent 17 years in Kublai Khan’s court. He learned the language and served as a messenger. He was promoted several times to government official positions, something that was unheard of before, when most of China was closed to foreigners. Kublai Khan encouraged foreign trade and many envoys travelled by sea to visit China. When Polo returned to Venice, it was a turbulent time and he found himself thrown in jail. It was in jail where he penned his book, ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’. For a long time, his book was seen more as fiction than fact but in recent times his accounts have been verified by academics and other explorers.
When Christopher Columbus set off across the Atlantic two hundred years later, he carried with him Marco Polo’s book. Fact or fiction, Marco Polo inspired generations of globetrotting adventurers.
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Juyongguan, translated as Juyong Pass, was a solid stronghold and one of three very important passes. The other two were Shanhaiguan to the far east and Jiayuguan to the far west. Located in Guangou Valley it is flanked by Cuiping and Jingui Mountains.
The current structure is a modern renovation of the pass built by the Ming in the late 14th century with the earliest fortification dating to pre-Qin Dynasty (221BC).
In 1211, Mongol Emperor Genghis Khan breached the Juyong Pass not once but twice in his conquest of China.
Genghis Kahn was the founder of the Mongol Empire and a formidable military leader. During the Jin Dynasty (12th-13th centuries), on one of his campaigns, the Khan lured the Jin army to a field battle at Juyong Pass. Once outside the gates, the Khan’s soldiers retreated knowing full well the Jin soldiers would give chase and leave the Pass unattended. The Jin were swiftly surrounded as the greater Mongol army appeared from the nearby mountains. Deceived and defeated, the Pass was breached and ransacked.
Barely two years later, Juyong Pass was once again under attack by Genghis. This time, the Jin soldiers sealed the north gate but Genghis, not to be outdone, took an alternative route. He travelled over 120mi (190km) southwest to the next but less-guarded pass, crossed it and returned to Juyongguan, attacking it from the south gate and recapturing it.
Juyongguan is a circular route that can be tackled either from the north gate or the south gate. A total of 14 watchtowers are dotted along this 2mi (3.2km) stretch. The width of the wall varies from as little as 4ft (1.2m) to as wide as 55ft (17m).
The path heading west climbs about 2,000ft (600m) up Jingui Mountain to the highest tower. As a steep climb, it is sometimes exacerbated by the steps that can range anywhere between a few inches to 2ft (61cm) in height. The east side is gentler with great views of the fort, the high watchtowers over the two gates and the river pass.
Being close to Beijing, it is a highly trafficked destination putting a lot of strain on the Wall and its ongoing maintenance.
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Remember when the wall at Panjiakou was submerged beneath a dam? Huanghuacheng is another that was buried beneath the water.
When this Ming section was built, it took 188 years to complete. Towards the end of its construction time, scheming officials informed the emperor that General Cai Kai, who was in charge of the build at the time, was spending too much time and money on a sloppy job. The emperor, in his anger, ordered the general to be executed. It dawned on him later that perhaps he should have had the Wall inspected. Following a survey report, it was discovered that the Wall was actually very well built, solid, steep and fortified. Realising his mistake, the emperor ordered a monument to be erected in honour of the general.
Fast forward to modern times and Huanghuacheng is now divided by a reservoir to the west and a lake to the east. Several sections of the Wall are under water, of which two are accessed via dams. One of the submerged sections is not directly connected but a short path skirts around the water providing access to the other side. The third connection is over a glass-decked bridge.
The Wall between the reservoir and lake is in a ruinous state, with most of its sides completely destroyed, the watchtowers collapsed and trees growing through them. The original pavements are long gone and the trail is filled with wild vegetation, leaving only a narrow single-person track to hike through.
Huanghuacheng offers spectacular views of mountains, lakes and the ever-present snaking Wall ribboning over the ridges.
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Where Mutianyu was beautifully restored, Jiankou is completely wild and ruined. Traversing steep ridges through dense vegetation, Jiankou is one of the most dangerous sections of the Wall. The bricks are broken, the walls collapsed and the path often vanishes before it reappears again. It is a wildly adventurous section, almost on par with Simatai.
The most exciting part of this Wall is the Eagle Flying Tower. Built on steep cliffs, the Wall has near vertical steps on both sides of the peak. On the left side the path requires scrambling up crumbled walls and endless sections of rubble. On the right side the descending stairs, known as Heavenly Ladder, lean at 85-degrees angle.
They are so narrow at the top that only one person could pass at a time. Each step is shallow horizontally and deep vertically, making it difficult to climb down. It would be easier getting down in a sitting position than standing up.
Several towers are engulfed by trees, their canopies peeking through the broken rooftops that once served as battlements. Once again I marvel at the structure and try to imagine the many workers that toiled in all kinds of weather conditions building this.
So much of Jiankou has been dilapidated that between 2015-2019 a huge repair project was undertaken. A half mile (750m) long section was faithfully restored, focusing on strengthening the walls, fixing broken bricks and clearing the dense thicket. A few trees that have grown through the bricks have been left there whilst others were removed to clear the path.
What raises my curiosity though are the two Mandarin signs that say “No Tourists” whilst at the same time there are signs dotted along the path directed at tourists. Another question is, why do the restoration if it’s not geared at tourism? The answers are elusive but there is no doubt that Jiankou is an explorer’s paradise.
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Mutianyu Wall is fully-rebuilt and in complete contrast to Gubeikou’s wild and ruinous appearance. Constructed out of slabs of granite, as per the original Ming design, Mutianyu is approximately 1.8mi (3km) long and has 23 watchtowers spaced at 330ft (100m) intervals.
Mutianyu was first built during the 6th century but as with most of the Wall pre-Ming era, it no longer exists. During the early Ming period (14thC), the Wall was built a second time on the same site by General Xu Da.
Restored in 1986, Mutianyu is considered to be the best-preserved and the most scenic part of the Wall year-round. Located within Mutian Valley, with each passing season the Wall is a kaleidoscope of colour. In spring and summer, it is green and blossoming. In autumn it turns from crimson to amber to yellow. As the final leaves fall the white snow of winter ushers in.
Heading east to west, the first tower was at the junction of three paths. Known as Big Corner Tower, it is placed in such a way that only the corners are visible from any angle, hence its name.
After a couple of towers there is a steep descent that leads to Zhengguan Terrace. Made up of a large central tower flanked by two smaller ones, this type of build is a unique feature along the Wall. The three towers, connected by a 130ft (40m) long terrace, were used to store grains and station troops.
The path meanders up and down from here on a beautifully restored Wall. The earthy coloured bricks with softer, worn edges seem much more at home with the landscape than the sharp-edged, dark grey colours of Huangyaguan. It is interesting to observe the different approaches to restoration projects.
As the Wall snakes up and down the hills, I can’t help but liken it to a serpentine dragon lying across the mountains with the sawtooth path as the dragon’s scales.
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Gubeikou Wall is a dilapidated and unrestored part of the Great Wall. There are no parapets, no battlements and no paved paths. The wild vegetation envelopes the walls into the landscape and the towers are either in ruins or completely destroyed.
The first wall was built in the 6th century and lengthened 800 years later. Under General Qi Jiguang’s supervision the Wall was further renovated and enhanced adding more towers and passes. A second layer of bricks was added beside the first making this section uniquely double-layered.
As a key pass between China and Mongolia, Gubeikou’s Wall stretched for 25mi (40km) and it consisted of a staggering 186 towers, spaced at 650ft (200m) intervals. The defence system also included 19 passes, 6 fortresses and 3 barbicans.
Being the gateway to the capital, more than 130 battles were fought here during the dynastic periods. In the early 20th century, Gubeikou was once again embroiled in a fierce battle, except this time it was with the Japanese. In 1933, the Japanese attacked the Great Wall as part of their territorial expansion. Whilst territories and passes along the wall were being defeated, at Gubeikou Wall the Chinese were able to hold their position for several days by using the ramparts to move the soldiers along the Wall, just like their predecessors did centuries before.
Gubeikou Wall is made up of two sections, Wohushan to the west and Panlongshan to the east. Between the two sections, in a valley, is a lake and Gubeikou town beside it. At the edge of Wohushan, next to each other, are two well-preserved towers, named ‘Sister Towers’. Some say it reminds them of two sisters holding hands when viewed from a distance.
Past the village to the east is the entry to Panlongshan and its two watchtowers. The first one, General Tower, is a square shaped, two-storey building that was used as the commanding office. Now roofless, it has been exposed to the elements. The second one is the 24-window Tower, the last watchtower on this section. Three storeys high, the first two levels used to have three windows per side adding up to 24, hence the name, but two sides of the building have now collapsed leaving the other two heavily supported by steel poles.
Whilst the Wall continues on beyond 24-window Tower, it becomes a military zone and so inaccessible to travellers.
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Simatai Wall is the first of several closely located Great Wall sections north of Beijing. It has been partially restored but only as far as carrying out essential reinforcement work, preserving the original appearance and as such keeping the historic atmosphere. The Wall is divided by Simatai Reservoir and the two sides are connected by a suspension bridge about 530ft (150m) long. The west section used to lead to Jinshanling Wall but is no longer open due to its ruinous and dangerous state.
The restored section on the east side is accessed from the foot of the mountain, adjacent to the reservoir. The hike on the Wall is rugged and steep. There are 16 towers in all but only 10 of them are open to tourists. Although it seems to be more of a guideline than a rule, since some daredevils have conquered it. Let me illustrate the hike.
The trail begins at Tower 1 near the suspension bridge. Proceeding east, the trail passes through towers, up steep stairs and then back down. Between Towers 4 and 5 the wall is only on one side of the path with a chain safety-barrier on the other.
There is a fantastic view of west Simatai winding its way up the mountain from Tower 7 and a cable car terminal at Tower 8. The path flattens out a bit up to Tower 10.
The next two towers are not part of the restored section nor forbidden to hike but access is off the path, through brush and over some boulders. The official trail ends with a great big pink sign warning that a fine will be imposed if going beyond. But what does beyond look like?
From Tower 12 there is no more path. A few perpendicular walls lead to Towers 13 and 14 and after that there is just a single wall about 20in (50cm) wide, on an 80-degree gradient with plunging cliffs on one side and steep mountain on the other. The wall ends suddenly, leaving a gap between the wall and Tower 15. The only way around is by climbing off the wall onto a beaten path and circling around the tower to the other side.
Back on the wall, this part is known as Sky Bridge. Narrow and tiered, it is no more than 30ft (100m) long but a mere 16in (40cm) wide. Climbing the tiers, each one leads further up the mountain, until it opens up to a wide but ruined path. Good place to rest before the final arduous climb to Tower 16.
Wangjing Tower (#16) sits on the summit of Simatai Wall at an elevation of 3,200ft (980m). Anyone courageous enough to tackle the climb is afforded spectacular views of valleys, mountain ranges and miles of winding Great Wall.
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The original Huangyaguan Wall was a combination of a 6th century stone foundation and 16th century brick battlements. It stretched for approximately 26mi (42km), although other sources cite 34mi (54km), and had 66 towers and a fortress.
As the only Wall located in Tianjin, a major port city southeast of Beijing, it held a very strategic position. Enemies wanting to invade Tianjin had to go through the Huangyaguan Pass. Numerous battles occurred here that destroyed the wall.
In the 1980s, a 1.8mi (3km) stretch of the Huangyaguan Wall and the nearby Taipingzhai Wall were fully renovated, making it one of the longest restored sections of the Great Wall. It consists of a military fortress, a gatehouse and 20 watchtowers.
The Huangyaguan fortress is nestled in a valley between Banlagang Mountain to the east and Wangmaoding Mountain to the west. It is connected to Taipingzhai Wall to the east by a bridge. During wartime the five arches beneath the bridge were closed, blocking access via the river. On the bridge’s battlements, soldiers would set up cannons to fire at enemies approaching on the river.
Taipingzhai Wall is just over half a mile long and built on the mountain ridge. It begins at the bridge and ends at Banlagang Mountain where the steep, rocky terrain takes over as a natural barrier. Part way along the wall is a barbican used as an alternative entrance and near it is a 28ft (8.5m) tall statue of Qi Jiguang. The statue was built by the local people who wanted to honour the general’s contribution to defending the borders against the northern enemies.
At the western end of Taipingzhai Wall is a square stone tower known as Widow Tower. Measuring 43ft (13m) high, the two-storey building was donated by 12 women whose husbands died building the Great Wall.
Huangyaguan and Taipingzhai are perhaps a little too perfectly restored. The essence of the Wall’s history, the ability to touch and feel its original stones or bricks are lost here. What remains though are those insane 85-degree angle stairs and the steep climbs.
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Now this is an exciting portion of the Wall. Two different walls near each other named Xifengkou and Panjiakou are part of the Underwater Great Wall.
When they were first built, both sections were strong fortresses between the mountains. The construction of both walls took place in different centuries with Xifengkou built in the late 14th century and Panjiakou in the mid-16th century.
Built by General Xu Da, Xifengkou was a major gateway to access central China. It had three gates linked by stone walls. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and a lake on the fourth, Xifengkou was very difficult to attack, although it still saw many battles due to its proximity to the northern borders.
Panjiakou on the other hand was flanked by mountains and had Luanhe River running through it. This wall was built by General Qi Jiguang, another military leader who successfully reinforced many sections of the Great Wall.
What made these two interesting was that both of them had parts of their walls underwater. When Panjiakou Reservoir was filled, it submerged the town of Panjiakou under 160ft (50m) of water, along with parts of Panjiakou Pass and Xifengkou Pass. A small part of Panjiakou Pass that was on higher ground is still above water. It is said that during low water levels, some of the underwater walls become more clearly visible.
One endearing description likened the area to a giant dragon crawling along the winding wall towards the lake. Diving in, it later re-emerges on the opposite side, climbs up the ridges and lies down to rest on the lofty mountains.
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Travelling through several unrestored sections of the Wall, I arrived at Baiyangyu Wall, translated as ‘White Sheep Valley’. The Wall here was split between east and west, with a village at the centre of it in a valley. The village occupied the banks of Baiyang River.
A unique feature of Baiyangyu was the one mile (1.6km) long section that was built out of marble. It is somewhat unusual since most of the wall was constructed from rammed earth covered in bricks or occasionally quarried granite. With the average height of the Wall at around 20-30ft (6-7m), the marble wall here was quite tall at 33ft (10m) and was also a reasonable width at 16ft (5m).
Coming from the east, just before I descended into the village, I entered what is now referred to as ‘Wild City’. It was a wall-enclosed open space with a solid gatehouse at the western end. There is no record of what it was used for, leaving me with unanswered questions. Fortresses and watchtowers were built on the Wall to house troops and store grains and weapons. This could have been one purpose but it is very big in size. Is it possible that it stationed a cavalry unit as there’s plenty of space for horses as well as soldiers?
Interestingly, when I exit through the gate, I end up on a trail because there’s no connection to the Wall, which is located northwest of the gate. Of course, that raises more questions, such as, how did they get to the gate? The Wall itself is considered to have an outer wall (facing the enemy) and inner wall (friendly side). The gate to this city was on the friendly side so perhaps access was through mountainous terrain, straight up from the valley floor. What do you think?
Left pondering, I descended into the village, crossed the river on a regular bridge and started up the westside on an unrestored, but in reasonably good shape, section of the Wall.
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