During the peak tourist season, the Badaling Great Wall is truly a bustling destination for tourists. If you're looking for a quiet Great Wall, apart from the forgotten and uninhabited wilderness Great Wall, Juyongguan is definitely the perfect choice.
Juyongguan Great Wall is located on Jundu Mountain in the northwest of Changping District, about 60 km away from the city center of Biejing. Known as one of the three major pass cities of the Great Wall, it is built along the mountain which is very steep. So it is also praised as the "Number One Pass in the World".
Juyongguan was named after the Qin Dynasty（221 BC-208 BC). According to legend, during the construction of the Great Wall , the Emperor Qin Shihuang ordered a large number of prisoners, soldiers, and servants to relocated here, and named here "Juyongguan",meaning "Juyong Pass". The canyon where the city of Juyongguan located is famous for its danger. Even if visitors climb on foot, the steep mountain terrain makes it quite difficult for them.
Due to the fact that tourism development is not as early as the Badaling Great Wall, there is relatively few tourists here. But it is rare to be secluded.
Autumn is arriving, and I come to the Great Wall of Juyongguan. Looking around, I notice that the leaves on the mountain are beginning to turn yellow.
Actually, there are relatively few tourists climbing the Great Wall, but there are still quite a few tourists in the Guancheng area. Perhaps people nowadays are not very willing to climb high, so there are not many people in the steep part of the Great Wall. Occasionally, a few or three people pass by, and unexpectedly, I caught a picture of the Great Wall that only belongs to me.
Climb to the "World's Greatest Pass"
The mountains here are beautiful and the trees are stacked one after another, making weekend self driving a great choice. It takes about half an hour to take the exit of Juyongguan (46) on the G6 Beijing Tibet Expressway.
The focus of most people visiting Juyongguan is to climb the Great Wall and enjoy the scenery at the top of the mountain. Walking is required in the scenic area, and it takes about three hours to climb to the highest beacon tower. It requires a certain amount of physical strength, and psychological preparation should be prepared before sightseeing.
Moreover, Juyongguan is also a famous ancient gate city along the Great Wall in the north of Beijing, and a national level cultural relic protection unit. It is worth your effort to climb.
There are currently two routes for climbing the Juyongguan Great Wall, namely the East Line and the West Line. The eastern route is relatively short and gentle, and it takes about 2-3 hours to climb to the highest beacon tower. If you prefer to challenge yourself, you can choose the Western Route, where the slopes are very steep and the entire journey takes 4 hours or more. If you really don't have the physical strength to climb the entire distance, looking at the scenery and taking beautiful photos halfway up the mountain, you will actually be satisfied.
The steep part of the steps is 40 cm, and I ses a four or five year old girl sitting down all the way because her feet couldn't touch the steps below when she come down. The slow spot is also 20-30 cm long, and due to wear and tear caused by constant trampling, it is important to pay extra attention to the pace.
The existing pass was built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty（1368-1644）, with a city wall of over 4000 meters and a ditch length of about 20 kilometers. It was built by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang to prevent the invasion of Emperor Shun of Yuan Dyansty, and it was appointed by the court to build by General Xu Da and Deputy General Chang Yuchun. Prior to this, Juyongguan had gone through the Han, Tang, Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties, all of which were military important areas.
Looking up, the Juyongguan Great Wall looks like a dragon lying prone at the top of a group of mountains. You don't need to know how many historical vicissitudes are recorded by its deep yellow boulders, nor do you need to know how many heroic children are buried under its steep rock walls. You just need to love every inch of its land. Because of this inch of land, each beacon tower embodies the unbridled blood and soul of the Chinese nation for five thousand years.
Travel Tips
All scenic spots require walking and comfortable shoes must be worn.
Compared to the Badaling Great Wall, Juyongguan is the best choice for self driving, as public transportation is not very convenient.