Huangyaguan ( Huangya Pass ) Great Wall is located 130km to the east of Beijing and 30km in the north of Ji County ( or Jixian County) in Tianjin. Huangyaguan Great Wall is a restored section of the Great Wall of China including a military fortress. It is is a by-product of the massive rebuilding and revamping of the Great Wall of China in 1980s.
This section of Huangyaguan Great Wall used to be 54km in length with 52 guide-towers and 14 beacon-owers connected to Jiangjunguan Pass Great Wall (now in Beijing region) in the east and to Malanguan Pass Great Wall, extended to Panjiakou Pass Great Wall(Tangshan Hebei Provicne) in the west. It was originally built in 556 in Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577). It was rebuilt with bricks and towers by Qi Jiguang (November 12, 1528 – January 5, 1588), the commander in chief Qizhen Garrison, one of the nine garrisons responsible for the frontier defence and the building of the Great Wall from Beijing to Shanhaiguan. Hiking westward from Huangyaguan Great Wall, you’ll get to Badaling Great Wall and eastward to Shanhaiguan Pass.
From Sept, 1984 to Sept, 1987, the repair work of Huangyanguan Great Wall was carried out. As a result, a total 3025m section of the Wall was restored and rebuilt with a completion of 20 watch towers and one fortress, one of the longest restored section of the Great Wall of China.
Huangyaguan Great Wall Contact Information
Tel: 022-22718080
Fax: 022-22718106
Add: Huangyaguan Village, Xiaying Town of Ji County in Tianjin
Entrance Fee: RMB 50 per person
How to get there from Beijing:
1) Self-drive: Drive along Jingping Express and turn left at Wangzhuangqiao, then drive directly to Huangyaguan Great Wall, 131km totally.
2) Long-distance bus: take the bus from Beijing Sihui Long Distance Bus station to Jixian County. Operated every ten minutes from 06:30 to 19:30. While in Jixian County, you are supposed to take a taxi or van to the Huangyanguan Great Wall at the cost of about RMB50.
When reaching the main entrance to Huangyaguan Great Wall, we are told that there are two sections of the restored great wall with the pass or the castle in the middle nestled in an valley flanked by Banlagang Mountain (Half a Clinder Mountain) in the west and Wangmaoding Mountain in the east. We are further advised to hike the east section since the west section is very easy for hiking with only 3 or 4 towers, suitable for kids and senior hikers. Ok, we prefer the east section for exploring Huangyaguan Great Wall.
The east section of Huangyaguan Great Wall is also known as Taipingzhai Great Wall, 2152m long with its east linked to the steep ridge of Banlagang Mountain and its west connected down to Huangyaguan Pass, or the castle in the valley. So to climb the east section, we have to drive up to the fortress of Taipingzhai Great Wall with a sea-level of 900m , then hike about 2152m down to the pass.
One and half hour 2150m hike from Taiping Zhai to Huangya Pass (also known Bagua Labyrinth Castle).
Our hike starts with the fortress of Taipingzhai (900m sea-level). Our Buick Van driver Zhou takes us to the parking lot below Taipingzhai Fortress along a zigzag mountain cement road.
Our hike starts with the fortress of Taipingzhai (900m sea-level)
Our one and half hour climb covers a 2150m long wall winding up and down the ridges with a final destination at the castle – Bagua Labyrinth.
We hike westward. While to our east direction, the wall winds up and meets the steep top of Banlagang Mountain serving as a natural barrier.
the steep top of Banlagang Mountain serving as a natural barrier
Unlike the wild and unrestored sections at Panjiakou, Xifengkou, Baiyangyu, Xuliukou, Liujiakou, Chengziyu, Xiaohekou and Zhuizishan, this section of the Wall is new. Hiking along the restored wall doesn’t give you a sense of history, or you cannot feel and touch the history behind the wall. It is more like doing a hiking exercises than hiking a Great wall of China.
this section of the Wall is new
Taipingzhai Great Wall stretches along the mountain ridges up and down
Taipingzhai Great Wall stretches along the mountain ridges up and down
This flight of stairs is treacherous. Even a moden day repair section is not easy, let along the its original construction 1400 years ago.
This flight of stairs is treacherous.
Huangyaguan Great Wall, though lack of originality due to its recent restoration, remains a haven for family outing, a safe and interesting place.
Huangyaguan Great wall remains a haven for family outing,
This is a Saw-tooth Great Wall, steep, 85 degree!
This is a Saw-tooth Great Wall, steep, 85 degree
After the saw-tooth wall, we continue to hike to a round and yellow tower.
we continue to hike to a round and yellow tower
We hike past the yellow tower built of loose slate.
We hike past the yellow tower built of loose slate
Before we hike down to the castle, we still have two towers to conquer.
Before we hike down to the castle, we still have two towers to conquer
This section of the wall was built on the ancient wall constructed with slabs in Northern Qi Dyasty (550-577).
This section of the wall was built on the ancient wall constructed with slabs in Northern Qi Dyasty
This tower is known as Widow Tower, hand-built by 12 widows from Henan Province with the consolation money given by Qi Jiguan. All the widows’ husbands had given their lives fo the building of Huangyaguan Great Wall.
This tower is known as Widow Tower
We have just conquered the last two towers of Taipingzhai Great Wall and I look back with a satisfied heart.
We have just conquered the last two towers of Taipingzhai Great Wall
The east section of Huangyaguan Great Wall ends up at a steep mountain ridge which makes a wall unnecessary. Here we can clearly view the west section of Huangyaguan Great Wall with its castle down in the valley.
a steep mountain ridge which makes a wall unnecessary
We leave the wall and turn right on a make-shift mountain road down to the castle. Here we can have a clear picture of the castle or the fort of Huangyaguan Pass Great Wall. The castle is a city like Bagua Labyrinth with its east part as a five-arch water pass great wall.
a clear picture of the castle or the fort of Huangyaguan Pass Great Wall
On the way to the castle in the valley, we meet a great wall warden, picking litter and rubbish on the great wall.
we meet a great wall warden
Have a close look at the five arch water gate wall linked to the castle in the east. The castle has a circumference of 890 m in a shape of irregular nife.
a close look at the five arch water gate wall
Now we are on the water gate wall leading to the castle with the west section of Huangyanguan Great Wall looming overhead in a distance.
Now we are on the water gate wall leading to the castle
We walk down to the castle and take a pciture of the grand pass tower of Huangyaguan Pass.
the grand pass tower of Huangyaguan Pass
Any questions, just drop a line.
