Overview
We present you with a local guide who picks you up from the hotel to the Juyongguan Great Wall, which is one of the most famous sections of the Great Wall noted for its deep-rooted culture, elegant sights and complete military facilities – the essence of the Great Wall. Hike the amazing and astonishing Great Wall to get a lifetime memory of being a hero. Cable car is a good choice if one wants to get to the highest point and take the whole beautiful bird view. Besides the ancient wall, many old buildings, like towers and temples, can be seen there. Stairs on the western part are quite steep while the other side is gentler, suitable for people who are energetic and those who are weak in sports.
Situated in a valley surrounded by mountains on two sides, it has long been a military stronghold. It was first built in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC) and Warring States Period (476 – 221 BC) by Yan State as a fortification, and was linked to the Great Wall of China in the Southern and Northern Dynasties (386 – 589).
Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), ordered the pass to be rebuilt to protect the northern borders from Mongol invasions. The extant pass was built then, and renovated in 1992.
The mountain to the east is the 492 feet (150 meters) high Cuiping Mountain, with 4,921 feet (1,500 meters) of wall on its ridges. To the west is 1,152 feet (351 meters) Jingui Mountain, with 3,937 feet (1,200 meters) of wall built on it. The walls on the two mountains look like giant arms cradling the buildings of the valley.
The pass is roughly circular with a perimeter of about 4,530 yards (4,142 meters) long. The widest point of the wall is 18 yards (16.7 meters), while the narrowest measures only 1.3 yards (1.2 meters).
It consists of two gates, one in the south and the other in the north, respectively called Nan (south) Guan (gate) and Bei (north) Guan. Two high watchtowers were built at each gate.
There is a high platform called Cloud Platform in the center of the pass. It is a white marble construction. There used to be buildings on top of the platform, but they were destroyed by fire and only the marble base remains. An arched doorway penetrates the platform. On the walls of the doorway, statues of four heavenly gods and sutra scriptures were carved.
Jade Carving Factory becomes our next destination to experience the beauty of Jade after which we later drive you to a beautiful local restaurant to enjoy a great Chinese lunch near the Ming Tombs.
After the lunch, we will go to Sacred Way. In the front part of the imperial necropolises, there usually is a Sacred Way (or Divine Road) which means the road leading to heaven. The Emperor, known as the Son of the Heaven, who came from Heaven to his country through the Sacred Way, also deservedly would return to Heaven through this road.
The Sacred Way is often lined with stone statues which are important decorations of the mausoleum. These statues are usually 12 human figures (including the general, civil officials and meritorious officials) and 24 animals which are lion, camel, elephant, xiezhi (a mythological unicorn), qilin (one of the four "divine animals, the other three are dragon, phoenix and tortoise), and horse. There are 4 of each of these animals: two standing and two squatting with different meanings. Lion symbolizes awesome solemnity because of their ferocity. Camel and elephant are meant to suggest the vastness of the territory controlled by the court, because they are dependable transport in desert and tropics. Xiezhi was put there to keep evil spirits away, because it was believed to possess the sixth sense to tell right and wrong. If two men fight, a xiezhi would gore the wicked one. Qilin, an auspicious symbol, was placed on two sides. Horse, as the emperor's mount, is absolutely indispensable. It is said that these animals is supposed to change guard at midnight.
Among the many Sacred Ways, the one of Ming Tombs' is best preserved and complete. The Sacred Way starts with a huge stone memorial archway lying at the front of the area. Constructed in 1540, during the Ming Dynasty, this archway is the earliest and biggest stone archway existing in China today. Farther in, the Shengong Shengde Stele Pavilion can be seen. Inside it, there lies a 50-ton tortoise carrying a stone tablet. A white marble Huabiao (ornamental pillar) is positioned at each corner of the stele pavilion. At the top of each is stationed a mythical beast facing either inward or outward, expressing hope that the emperor will neither cling to the palace nor forget to return to the Palace to handle state affairs. Then come two Roof Pillars on each side of the road, whose surfaces are carved with the cloud design, and tops are shaped like a rounded cylinder. After the 18 pairs of stone statues which are all sculpted from whole stones, and larger than life size, comes the Dragon and Phoenix Gate.
After Sacred Way we move to Ming Tombs to experience the best preserved Chinese Imperial Tombs with over 500years history, precisely Dingling. Of all the 13 imperial tombs in Ming Dynasty ( 1368 - 1644 ), only three are open to the public: Changling, Dingling and Zhaoling ("ling" literally means "Tomb" in Chinese). Only Dingling has been excavated. Any you will be arranged to visit Dingling ( also known as Underground Palace ). Dingling is not wheelchair-user friendly. You will first have a long walk from the Dingling Entrance before you get to the Tomb itself, where you walk down 8 flights of stairs. The walk to the tomb can be hard and long during high season, but normally takes about 15 minutes. If you are wheelchair users or have some difficulty in walking, just forget Dingling.
At the end of the trip, travelers’ will be finally transferred back to their hotel.
