Lupiguan Great Wall
The Lupiguan Great Wall is among the top ten sections of the Great Wall in Beijing. The Lupiguan Pass by the Baihe River was a spectacular and solid pass in the past, which may have rivalled the Juyongguan Pass. However, this section of wall has been severely damaged by weather and human activities, and the Lupiguan Pass has disappeared. Consequently, only several three-window watchtowers and the dilapidated wall can be seen today.
The Lupiguan Great Wall, historically called the Shitangling Great Wall, was first constructed during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577), and restored during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Its current name, "Lupiguan", literally means a pass which is like beautiful deerskin. There are two interesting legends about it. As one legend goes, the mountains on which the pass was built looked like colorful deerskin, so the pass was named the Lupiguan Pass. The other legend is that there was a huge stone in the nearby valley shaped like a deer lying down, hence the name.
In ancient times, the great Lupiguan Pass stood by the river. Its gate was so small that only one person could pass through at a time, making it easy to defend, but hard to break through during war. Together with the wall built on precipitous mountains and winding ridges, they formed a solid military defense system.
As time passed, the wall became dilapidated, and the pass has long since disappeared. However, one can still imagine its magnificence by visiting the remains. The V-shaped wall goes down the east mountain, across the Baihe River in the valley, and up the west Mountain.
As the bricks on the walls are all gone, only stone slabs can be seen near the Beishicheng Village. The remaining watchtowers are distributed in the Black Dragon Pool Scenic Area in the west and the Valley of Misty Rain and Flying Rainbow in the east. There is a path under the Daguan Bridge leading to the watchtowers on the top of the mountains. A solid watchtower is situated on the wall, while a nearby hollow watchtower lies outside the wall. After restoration, the hollow three-window tower has been equipped with an iron stairway and a cement terrace so visitors can explore. Standing on the wall, you can see the rippling Miyun Reservoir.
If the Great Wall is compared to a symphony, the Lupiguan section is the most splendid movement on account of its original beauty and magnificent military importance.
1. The Lupiguan Great Wall is less crowded than other famous sections of the Great Wall, so tourists can enjoy themselves at a leisurely pace.
2. Wear a pair of sneakers to hike the unreconstructed wall.
3. It is energy-consuming to climb the wall, so take enough food and water.
4. Remember to return early in the afternoon because it is dangerous to climb down from the wall in the dark.
5. Find someone to accompany you. Don't hike the wall alone.
6. Protect the wall. Don't litter.
The Lupiguan Great Wall is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of central Beijing. Here is the mode of transportation.
Take bus line 980 from Dongzhimen to Miyun Binhe Bridge for CNY 15. Then, take local bus line Mi 62 or Mi 63 from Yanhu Ximen Station to Heilongtan Station for CNY 5. Afterwards, walk northeast for about 400 yards to your destination. The total trip is about 2.5 hours.
Further Reading: Wild Great Walls in Beijing
The Lupiguan Great Wall, historically called the Shitangling Great Wall, was first constructed during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577), and restored during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Its current name, "Lupiguan", literally means a pass which is like beautiful deerskin. There are two interesting legends about it. As one legend goes, the mountains on which the pass was built looked like colorful deerskin, so the pass was named the Lupiguan Pass. The other legend is that there was a huge stone in the nearby valley shaped like a deer lying down, hence the name.
In ancient times, the great Lupiguan Pass stood by the river. Its gate was so small that only one person could pass through at a time, making it easy to defend, but hard to break through during war. Together with the wall built on precipitous mountains and winding ridges, they formed a solid military defense system.
As time passed, the wall became dilapidated, and the pass has long since disappeared. However, one can still imagine its magnificence by visiting the remains. The V-shaped wall goes down the east mountain, across the Baihe River in the valley, and up the west Mountain.
As the bricks on the walls are all gone, only stone slabs can be seen near the Beishicheng Village. The remaining watchtowers are distributed in the Black Dragon Pool Scenic Area in the west and the Valley of Misty Rain and Flying Rainbow in the east. There is a path under the Daguan Bridge leading to the watchtowers on the top of the mountains. A solid watchtower is situated on the wall, while a nearby hollow watchtower lies outside the wall. After restoration, the hollow three-window tower has been equipped with an iron stairway and a cement terrace so visitors can explore. Standing on the wall, you can see the rippling Miyun Reservoir.
If the Great Wall is compared to a symphony, the Lupiguan section is the most splendid movement on account of its original beauty and magnificent military importance.
Travel Tips
2. Wear a pair of sneakers to hike the unreconstructed wall.
3. It is energy-consuming to climb the wall, so take enough food and water.
4. Remember to return early in the afternoon because it is dangerous to climb down from the wall in the dark.
5. Find someone to accompany you. Don't hike the wall alone.
6. Protect the wall. Don't litter.
How to get there from downtown Beijing
Take bus line 980 from Dongzhimen to Miyun Binhe Bridge for CNY 15. Then, take local bus line Mi 62 or Mi 63 from Yanhu Ximen Station to Heilongtan Station for CNY 5. Afterwards, walk northeast for about 400 yards to your destination. The total trip is about 2.5 hours.
| Ticket Price | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Opening Hours | 08:00 – 20:00 |
Further Reading: Wild Great Walls in Beijing
- Last updated on Apr. 03, 2019 -