Great Wall, one of the most remarkable feat of mankind, whose segments were built as long ago as 500 B.C. Archaeologists estimate that the Wall once ran 6200 miles; today it is still impressive at 3,750 miles. Serious work began in 220 B.C, when China's first emperor Qin Shihuang, conscripted millions of soldiers and peasants to participate in this dangerous undertaking. Constructions continued over the centuries, with the most impressive portions built during the 14th century Ming Dynasty.

Badaling

The section adjacent to Juyong Pass and Badaling Hill, 85 kilometers north of Beijing, is typical of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. The Wall at Badaling is 8.5 meters high and 5.7 meters broad. Five horses or ten people can walk along it abreast. There are ramparts, embrasures, peep-holes and apertures for archers on the top, besides gutters with gargoyles to drain rainwater off the parapet walk. Two-storied of the watch-towers were designed for observing enemy movements, while the first was used for string grain, fodder, military equipment and gunpowder, as well as for quartering garrison soldiers. The highest watch-tower at Badaling stands on a hill-top and is reached only after a steep climb, like "climbing a ladder to heaven". The view from the top is rewarding however. The Wall follows the contour of mountains that rise on behind the other until they finally fade and merge with distant haze.

Mutianyu

Situated in Huairou county, 72 km northeast of Beijing, the Great Wall winds its wayon the Yanshan Mountain, 20 km north of Huairou. Mutianyu stands in the east opposite Badaling, which is in the west. It connects Gubeikou Pass in the north and Huanghuachengin the west.
Badaling, Juyongguan Pass, Zijingguan Pass and Daomaguan Pass used to be three main barriers northeast of Beijing during the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall was extended to this place from Shanhaiguan Pass in the reigning years of Hong Wu. The section was completed by the reigning years of Wan Li.
Magnificent in appearance the Mutianyu Great Wall has been preserved intact. Here vegetation is abundant and fruit trees abound. The scenic beauty in spring and autumn is excellent. It is like a garden on a mountain top. We find scenic spots, such as Lianhuachi(lake), Zhenzhuquan (spring) and Longtan (lake) in the neighborhood. Mutianyu is a place for tourists to go and enjoy the beauty of Chinese landscape.
In 1982 funds were allocated by government departments concerned to repair the wall. In additional funds have been provided from the donation campaign. More repairs can be undertaken on big scale. It is expected that Mutianyu Great Wall will attract even more visitors.

Shanhaiguan Pass

Located in Qinhuangdao by the Bobal Sea, Shanhaiguan is an important pass in the eastern Great Wall. It was reconstructed by the Ming Dynasty. Work continued until the end of the dynasty. The wall connects itself from the Yanshan Mountain with the sea. It provides the only and best scenery of beautiful sea and beautiful mountain in one setting. Shanhaiguan was proclaimed a key historic monument by the State Council in 1961.Construction had been launched by the historic relics departments to repair Shanhaiguan over a period of about 30 years, but only on limited scale, far from meeting the demand of growing tourism.
In 1985 the government, this time aided by private donations, started an overall repair job. From Yanshan Mountain southward to the sea at Laolongtou, scores km long Great Wall plus mountain pass and mounds are listed for repair each year. First phase repair works are now started on Ninghaicheng with donation of 700,000 yuan from Shanghai. Dilapidated city towers, corner towers and watch towers are scheduled to be restored to original shape.

Jinshanling

This lies within Luanping county, Hebei province, 130 km from Beijing. It used to be under the jurisdiction of Gubeilu, an important doorway in the northeast defence line of the Ming Dynasty.
Surveys were done here by the Historic Relics Bureau and the Ministry of Culture in1981. The magnificence of this section is equal to that of Badaling. On this account Jinshanling is named second Badaling. This section is now known to friends abroad and people at home. For three years in succession funds have been allocated by the State to repair this section, aided by recent donations. Highway and tourist services have been projected to be built. One of the most magnificent parts of the Great Wall will shortly be opened to public.

Huangyaguan Pass

This was an important pass under the Jizhou fortressed town in the Ming Dynasty, lying20 km northeast of Jixian county, Tianjin. The precipitous cliff called Huangya is in a strategic position, with the Great Wall winding its way across mountains and ridges. Built in the early years of the Ming Dynasty it was completed only by Qi Jiguang, commander of Jizhou fortressed town in the reigning years of Long Qing. The Huangyaguan Pass of the Great Wall has certain special features in structure. Stone slabs, bricks and stones faced with bricks have been used. Watchtowers are rectangular, round in shape, also built with the same materials. It is a section of the Great Wall much to be valued. The layout of the architecture is unique. Within the mountain pass city wall we find a network of T-Shaped road junctions or crooked ruler so that when the enemy enters into the city he can hardly find his way. The entangled paths are an outstanding piece of defence engineering work.
This section of the wall, however, has been even more badly damaged than other sections. Since such a historic monument is difficult to find elsewhere in Tianjin, first class industrialized seaport in China, a large sum was soon collected when the campaign for fund to rebuild the section got started. Surveying by technicians was immediately undertaken. The first phase of construction -- 800 m wall and watch towers will soon be completed. Jixian county, ancient town east of Beijing will welcome visitors from abroad and at home with its excellent scenic beauty of mountains, the Dulesi Temple (built of wood, 1,000 years ago) and the White Pagoda in Guanyinsi Temple in strange shape, and of course Huangyaguan Pass Great Wall itself.

Jiayu Pass

It is the western terminus of the Great Wall, built more than 600 years ago. Its magestic and solid construction is so full of power and grandeur that it has been praised as "Mighty Pass No.1 Under Heaven". Unlike the Shanhaiguan Pass or the Jurongguan Pass on the Grear Wall, it neastles against the Qilian Mountains and Gobi Desert and is therefore imposiong in its own way. It was a strategic point at the western section of the Great Wall of ming Dynastu(1368-1644) and is the best preserved pass along the entire length of the wall. It is a magnificent castle, composed of an inner and an outer section, an enclosed gateway, a gate tower, watch towers and parapets.

Yumen Pass

Situated 75km northwest of Dunhuang, the Jade Gate Pass was a strategic pass on the ancient Silk Road. It was so named because the jade of Honan in what is now Xinjiang region was transported to central China through this pass. In his poem Go North of Great Wall, the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Zhihuan had the famous line, " Beyong the Yumen Pass the breath of Sring has never crossed". The mention of Yumen in the poem has made the pass all the more famous.