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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Whilst Emperors dictated the building of the Great Wall, it was a handful of exceptional military leaders that made it happen. During the Ming Dynasty two names pop up again and again as the commanders in charge of the various constructions.
General Qi Jiguang – 16th century
Qi Jiguang was raised in a military family. He began his military career at 17 and was relieved of duty after 38 years of service. Spending most of his career fighting the Mongols in the north or the pirates in the east, Qi was instrumental in developing new combat tactics that helped defeat China's enemies. As such, he was put in charge of training the imperial guards and was promoted to the highest military rank of Commissioner-in-Chief.
During his time on the Wall, he undertook a massive expansion project, repairing and reinforcing the Wall’s defences, installing as many as 1,000 watchtowers over a 380mi (608km) stretch. These works helped fend off the northern enemies for more than a decade until the Ming Dynasty was replaced. Qi was also known for documenting his thoughts on military strategy into two books and wrote many poems and works of prose.
General Xu Da – 14th century
Young Xu Da grew up at the tail end of the Yuan Dynasty, led by the Mongol empire. Playing warlike games with Zhu Yuanzhang, he was unaware of the fate that awaited both of them in later years. Zhu became a prominent rebel leader with Xu serving as a general. In 1368, together, they led an attack on the capital city and forced the Yuan ruler out, becoming the founders of the newly formed Ming Dynasty, with Zhu as its first emperor and Xu as a general and later a politician. Xu’s first task in relation to the Great Wall was to build the Shanhai Pass near the sea, which he completed in less than two years. He went on to build many sections of the Wall that were reinforced two centuries later by Qi Jiguang. Xu remained in the emperor’s service for 32 years until his passing.
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About 4mi (6.4km) from Old Dragon’s Head, in the centre of a large town, was the old fortress Shanhaiguan (Shanhai Pass). Built by General Xu Da in 1381, it was fortified and expanded by General Qi Jiguang in 1583 to seal off passage from the Manchu tribes in the northeast. It was the most important pass on the Wall.
Shanhaiguan did a fine job safeguarding the country until years of drought and famine gave rise to numerous peasant rebellions. At the same time, the Ming armies were busy defending the northern borders from the Manchu tribes. It all came to a head in 1644 when the city of Beijing fell at the hands of the rebels. Hoping to oust the rebels and restore order, a powerful Ming general sought assistance from the Manchu leader. Forming an alliance, the general surrendered Shanhaiguan, essentially throwing the doors open for the Manchu to enter. However, the Manchu had their own agenda, and once through the Pass they set about conquering Beijing and replacing the Ming Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty was born and it ruled for nearly 300 years until it was abolished in 1912.
The fortress, in a near-square shape, had a barbican on its east side. Arrow towers used to be at each gate but only one remains today. The walls were made of rammed earth covered with bricks. Views of Jiaoshan Wall to the north and the sea to the south can be seen from the top of the east tower.
Jiaoshan Wall was outside the city and it was named after the highest peak north of Shanhai Pass. Its translation is ‘Horn Peak’. This is the Great Wall’s first mountain climb. Built during the reign of the first Ming emperor (c. 14thC), Jiaoshan sealed the access between Shanhai Pass and the mountainous region of the China-Manchuria border.
Jiaoshan was built of locally quarried materials. A small section, less than a mile, has been restored with wide paths leading up the mountain to the unrestored section, where the path began to narrow. Some of the battlements along the Wall were built on only one side, with steep cliffs providing natural defence on the other. A few of the watchtowers were so high that metal ladders were installed to provide access.
Proceeding up the mountain, Jiaoshan ended at the Big Flat Summit on Dapingding Peak. Here I was afforded views of Jiaoshan Wall and Shanhaiguan to the south, Changshou Mountain to the north and the substantial Shihe Reservoir to the west.
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