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Locates 11km away from Juyongguan Pass and 60km north of Beijing, Badaling, which means "giving access to every direction", is the best-preserved section of the Great Wall. First built in 1505 with an elevation of 600 meters, the wall average 7.5 meters high, 4 meters thick, 6.5m wide on the base and 5.8m at the
top. tretching out for 4,770m among the rolling mountains, Badaling section of Great Wall is dotted with 19 strategically located watchtowers, which were used to protect the capital against attack in ancient times, bringing Badaling the name of "key to the north gate."
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Along the wall, there are many signal towers, which were used to transmit military message. In those pre-electricity days, probably fire and smoke were the most efficient ways for communication (normally fire was used at night and smoke during the day). In 1468, a series of regulations were set to give the specific meanings of these signals: a single shot and a single fire or smoke signal implies about 100 enemies, two shots and two signals warned of five hundred, three shots and three signals warned of over a thousand and so on. In this way, a message could be transmitted over more than five hundred kilometers within a few hours.
Badaling fortress, with an elevation of 600 meters, was built in 1505. The walls, built in 1571, are 10meter high, 4meters thick and over 1km long in circumference. The fortress has two gatetowers. A tablet inscribed with "outpost to Juyongguan Pass" is hung on the eastern gate and another one "the Lock on the Northern Gateway" on the western gate. As the entrance to Badaling, this fortress is an important defensive spot on the north side of Juyongguan Pass. If Badaling were seized, it would be difficult to defend Juyongguan Pass. In the Ming dynasty, strong force was garrisoned there.
East of the fortress lies a huge rock, 7 meters long and 2 meters high, which is named Watching Beijing Rock. It was said that the Empress Dowager Cixi once passed here as she fled to the north when the Eight Allied Forces invaded Beijing in 1900. Making a short stop there, she looked toward Beijing and recalled her comfortable life in the Forbidden City. Hence the name.
Badaling, the essence of the Great Wall, in 1987, was listed as the "World Cultural Heritage" by UN. In recent years, this section of Great Wall was repaired and Great Wall Museum, Badaling Great Wall Cableway and other tourism facilities were built near the wall. So far, about 80 million visitors from all over the world, including 300 heads of state and other celebrities from foreign countries visited there. The wall, as the witness of the history, today serves as the friend bridge between the Chinese people and people from other countries.
Located 29 km northwest of Huairou city, the wall, with a reservoir, is an unwonted great wall in Beijing boundary, which contains both water and mountains. When summer comes, all the villages and houses are deeply immersed in yellow flowers, hence the name Huanghuacheng (Yellow Flower Great Wall). Early in the Yuan dynasty, here used to be dotted with prosperous villages and in the Ming dynasty, it became a town of military importance, named "Benzhenguan Pass".
The construction began in the Ming dynasty, and, according to legend, under the supervision of General Cai Kai. Due to the false accusation of jerry-build by a treacherous official, General Cai was beheaded by emperor. Later, when an official sent by the emperor to the wall found the wall actually was solid and steep, instead of the output of jerry and slipshod work, the emperor realized that he had wronged General Cai. Soon, the tomb of Cai was rebuilt and a memorial stele was stood. Besides, the emperor also order people to carve two characters, "Jin Tang", on a huge rock under the wall, indicating the firmness and stoutness of the wall.
Outside the tour area, the wall, with coarse line, broken body, as well as ubiquitous bramble, appears majestic and desolate. Winding its way above the lofty and precipitous peaks, and finally fading into far distance, the wall abidingly attracts tired climbers to discover its mysterious veil. In midsummer, visitors can view the yellow flowers, while in late autumn, can fully enjoy the boundless yellow leaves.
Simatai, located in the north of Miyun county, 120km northeast of Beijing, holds the access to Gubeikou, a strategic pass in the eastern part of the Great Wall. Originally built during the Northern Qi dynasty (550-577) and rebuilt in the Hongwu years of the Ming dynasty by Qi Jiguang, this section of Great Wall is the only part of the Great Wall which keeps the original features of the Ming dynasty Great Wall.
Simatai Great Wall is 5.4km long with 35 beacon towers. Ingeniously conceived and uniquely designed, this section of Great Wall, inimitable and diversified, has incorporated the different characteristics of each section of the Great Wall. No matter the famous specialist of Great Wall, Professor Luo Zhewen, says: "The Great Wall is the best of the Chinese buildings, and Simatai is the best of the Great Wall."
Hanging precariously onto the Yanshan Mountain, Simatai Great Wall is known for its steepness, ingenuity and unique.
Steepness : built on the precipitous mountains, there are many places that are unmatched among other sections of Great Wall. The Heavenly Ladder and the Sky Bridge are particularly dangerous that they could make everyone on them tremble with fear.
Ingenuity : compares with other sections of Great Wall, Simatai is densely dotted with beacon towers, in which the nearest two are only 43.8m apart and the farthest of 600m. While in other sections, beacon towers were built at intervals of 500m. In this section, the walls are in single, double and trapeziform forms and the watchtowers are round or oblate in shape and composed of two or three floors. Even the roofs of the tower are also diverse: some are flat, some cymbiform and some domical shapes.
Unique : built on the mountain ridge with limestone caves under it, this section of wall is imposing and unique among other sections. More interesting is that there are two springs called Mandarin Duck Springs at the foot of the Great Wall. The east one is cold, while the west warm. The two springs join into one lake. Then half of the lake is cold and the other half is warm. In winter, hot steam rise from the lake, forming a marvelous spectacle in this area.
Simatai Great Wall is separated into two parts by a valley, namely the east part and west part. The west part appears gentle with 20 well-preserved watchtowers dotting here and there. Comparing with the west part, the east part is somewhat steep and cliffy. 15 watchtowers densely scattered on the thousand-meter-high peaks, adding enchanting views to the wall. In this part, the main attractions include Watching Beijing Tower, Fairy Tower, Heavenly Ladder and Sky Bridge.
Watching Beijing Tower : with an elevation of 986 meters, it is regarded as the summit of Simatai section of Great Wall as well as the highest cultural relics in Beijing. Mounting the tower at night, one can see lights shimmering faintly in downtown Beijing. More interesting is that the bricks used to built the walls here even stamped with the date on which they were made and the code numbers of the armies that made them.
Fairy Tower : with a sculpture of twin lotus flowers above the arched doors, it is the most beautiful of all towers and is known for its exquisite architecture. Legend goes that it was the dwelling place for an antelope reincarnated in the form of an angel who fell in love with a shepherd.
Heavenly Ladder : leaning against a mountain slope with a 90-degree gradient, it is the way to the Watching Beijing Tower and the Fairy Maiden Tower. Stretching upward along the abrupt mountain ridges, the narrowest part is just half a meter wide.
Sky Bridge : with a cabined width of mere 40 centimeter, it is really a 100-meter-long way, connecting the Fairy Tower to Watching Beijing Tower. Only brave man can pass through this bridge.
Noted by the UNESCO as one of the World Cultural Heritages, Simatai Great Wall is the famous scenic spot for traveling, exploration and inspection. Now, this site is open to visitors at home and abroad.