Being built along steep ridges and deep valleys, the Mutianyu Great Wall is located in Huairou District, 73 kilometers northeast of Beijing city proper. It starts from Juyongguan Pass in the west and reaches Gubeikou in the east. The construction work of this section began as early as the mid-6 century during the Northern Dynasties(361-581) and what now remains is the main restoration of the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644). Through ages it has served as military defence of Beijing against the nomadic tribes from the north.
Along this section’s 2,250-meter span, 22 battlements were built at regular intervals. They vary from simple beacon towers to multi-storey complex structures, among which the most famous is Zhengguantai, a castle complex that consists of three-connected watchtowers. This special arrangement of three towers ensured the defending forces to smash any attempt at an invasion. Most parts of the Great Wall have outer defensive parpets to provide cover for the soldiers and a low parpet on the inner side to prevent soldiers and horses from falling down. However, in this section, both the outer and inner parpets have crenels, indicating its military importance.
The Mutianyu Great Wall snakes on high mountains, whose vegetation coverage reach over 80 percent. It has special interest and charm in every season. Tourists will see blossoming flowers in spring, flowing streams in summer, red leaves in autumn and white snow in winter. Being regarded as the best part of the Great Wall, it has been visited by many foreign top leaders, among whom are John Major, former prime minister of Britain, and Bill Clinton, former president of United States.
“He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man.” A wayfaring visit is of course heroic enough, but if you can not afford the efforts there is also a cable car to help you. Within the scenic area, there is still a theme park, the China Dream Stone City, which focus on the collection and display of strange stones. Occupying a space of 33,000 square meters, it is also known as one of the world’s greatest stone cities.
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