Jinshanling Great Wall

8 kilometers at the southeast of Bakeshiying of Luanping County in Hebei Province is Jinshanling Great Wall. Starting out in the east at Wangjinglou, the Wall stretches westwards for 10.5 Kilometers to Longyukou. The wall was built during the Ming Dynasty, the period of Emperor Hongwu (1368-1398), and was repaired for more than once during the reign of Emperor Hongzhi and Zhengde. But the most extensive reinforcements and renovations were carried out in the reign of Emperor Longqing and Wanli, by General Qijiguang's army when he governing Jizhou. Jinshanling Great Wall winds its way along the ridges of the mountain, forming a magnificant and complicated constructure. Compared with other Walls, it is a section that is relatively well protected. In 1988, the PRC and the State Council listed it as a major cultural relics under state protection.

Jinshanling Great Wall is a section of the Great Wall under the control of Gubeikou, and there are 5 mountain passes and 67 different enemy broadcasting stations. It is based on huge rectangular slab of stone and built with bricks, and each bricks weighs 12 kilograms. In the smooth terrain, the wall is 5-8 meters high ,the base is 6 meters wide and the top is about 5 meters; In the sheer terrain, the cliffs cut the outside of the wall. On the top of the Jinshanling Great Wall, it has crenel walls on the outer side and parapet walls on the inner side. Each crenel wall is about 2 meters high with crenels in higher part, shooting stone holes in lower parts and battery platforms on the wall. Parapet walls were built with watching holes and shooting holes. No enemy tower was built on the highest point on the Wall, and on the way to enemy tower are rows of barrier walls about 2.5 meters high, Each barrier wall has 3 or 4 watching holes. This kind of constructure is unique within the control of Gubeikou. It was used to defend enemy towers from invading. At the approach of enemy troops, the soldiers could fight against them by occupying the barrier walls. Some towers were built without walls because of the sheer precipice in some parts. In some parts where the ridge of the mountain is narrow, the wall is only 4 meters wide and only a single outer wall was built with shooting holes.

The enemy towers are concentrated in Jingshanling Great Wall, the distance between them is about 100 meters, or even 50-60 meters, all within the range of fire. The enemy tower is about 10 meters high on average. A little house stands between enemy towers is called “LouLu”or “Pufang”, whose roof is an imitation of brick or wood constructure. Two kinds of passageways lead up and down the enemy tower: One is connected by stepladders and the other one by shafts which is equiped with rope ladders. There are 1, 2, or 3 entrances to each enemy tower. Inner side of the wall has inner door through which the soldiers could climb up the tower easily and they also connected transportation. The properity of the the tower is rare.

Beacon towers were built on either side of the top of the mountain, and you can find retaining house walls, each is about 2 meters high.

Strong constructure, connected passes, enemy towers, important cities' defence and alarm of beacon fire form a complete defensive system. From 1983-1988, China set aside special fund, over RMB 1,000,000 Yuan to rebuild Jinshanling Great Wall extensively and manned workers specially assigned for managing it.

Publishes at : 07-09-09 13:35

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