Juyongguan Great Wall

Introducing Juyongguan Great Wall
Juyongguan Great Wall is a pass ('guan' means 'mountain pass') through the mountains located in an 18 km long valley named Guan Gou which is in Changping County, more than 50 km from Beijing City.It is the closest section of the Great Wall to Beijing - a little closer than Badaling which it connects to.

Juyongguan Great Wall Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Ju Yong Guan Chang Cheng 居庸关长城
• Best Time to Visit: April, May, September and October
• Recommended Visiting Hours: 2 to 3 hours
• Opening Hours
  Apr 1 to Oct 31: 8:00-17:00
  Nov 1 to Mar 31: 8:30-16:00
• Entrance Fee
  Apr 1 to Oct 31: CNY45
  Nov 1 to Mar 31: CNY40
• Address: Juyongguan, Nankou Town, Changping District, Beijing

What to expect at Juyongguan Great Wall

History of Juyongguan Pass
Juyongguan is one of the three greatest passes of the Great Wall of China. The other two are Jiayuguan Pass and Shanhaiguan Pass. Ju Yong Guan had many different names in the past; however, the name Juyongguan Pass was used by more than 3 dynasties. It was first used in the Qin Dynasty when Emperor Qin Shi Huang gave the orders to build the Great Wall of China. Actually, Juyongguan Great Wall actually has 2 passes, one at the south and one at the north end. The south one is called "Nan Pass" (what we now call Juyongguan Pass) and the north one is called Badaling.

Featured Attractions

In the middle of Juyongguan Pass, there is a cross-street pagoda base foundation called Yuntai, which means "it looks like staying in the clouds when you seeing from afar". It was built from 1342 to 1345, of white marble stones, 9.5 meters height and 25 meters wide and in the classical architectural style of the Yuan Dynasty. At the center of the base foundation, there is an arch doorway for pedestrians, horses and carriages to pass through. It is carved with images of animals, plants and Buddha.

Three Lama Pagodas and a Buddhist Temple had been built in late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty respectively, but they were all destroyed by serious damage and great fire. Now just the base foundation is left. The South Pass' Earthen Castle is shaped like a horse's hoof. During battles, the enemies were caught inside the Earthen Castle when they ran through a hidden battlement and they couldn't escape. Emplacements are set up at the North Castle.
There is a War Temple built, with the solemn images of the Twelve Chinese Horoscopes, God of Water and Fire, General God of Eight Skies and True War King. The five ancient cannons are being displayed near the walls of South and North Passes. They were from the Ming Dynasty. This period was the best era for making ancient cannons in China.

The stone carvings at Yuntai are a great sight to recommend. They are seen on the sides and the top in the archway. The Buddha images are lifelike, which are of excellent craftsmanship, with Buddhist sutras and conjurations in six different languages (such as Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese and Basiba which is a language derived from Tibetan made under the order of the Yuan Emperor Kublai Khan as Mongolian new letters, but it had been used only for a brief period). They are invaluable resources to Buddhist historical researchers and archeological enthusiasts. Also, the stone sculptures have been listed as China's key protection culture heritage in 1961.

The Water Gate is designed in the astonishing mountain landscape which there are two mountains with a narrow waterway in between. Water flows through Juyongguan Pass, and the Water Gate is built at the junction area. This is used for controlling the amount of water, which varies drastically by seasonal changes. In the flood season, it will drain the water and in draught time it can store the water for Juyongguan Pass soldiers' daily use.

How to get to Juyongguan Great Wall
• Take bus No. 883 from Deshengmen, and get off at Nankou Lukou Bei Station. Then, transfer to Bus Chang Line 20 to Juyongguan Great Wall.
• Take bus No. 345 from Deshengmen, and get off at Shahe Station. Then, transfer to Bus Chang Line 68 to Juyongguan Great Wall.
• Take Metro Line 13 to Huoying Station (Exit A). Then, take suburb Rail S207 and get off at Badaling Station. Then, transfer bus No. 879 to Juyongguan Great Wall.

Additional travel advice on Juyongguan Great Wall
• Please wear comfortable hiking shoes.
• It is not advised to explore the Great Wall on public holidays or weekends.