We end our
hiking at Simatai section of the Great Wall.
But first, let's see who have successfully completed their
hiking and become our Hall
of Famers!
Simatai, located in the north
of Miyun county, 120km northeast of Beijing, holds the access to Gubeikou,
a strategic pass in the eastern part of the
Great Wall. Originally built
during the Northern Qi dynasty (550-577) and rebuilt in the Hongwu years
of the Ming dynasty by Qi Jiguang, this section of
Great Wall is the only
part of the Great Wall which keeps the original features of the Ming
dynasty Great Wall.
Simatai Great
Wall is 5.4km
long with 35 beacon towers. Ingeniously conceived and uniquely designed,
this section of Great Wall, inimitable and diversified, has incorporated
the different characteristics of each section of the Great Wall. No matter
the famous specialist of Great
Wall Professor Luo Zhewen, says: "The
Great Wall is the best of the Chinese buildings, and Simatai is the best
of the Great Wall."
Hanging precariously onto the
Yanshan Mountain, Simatai Great Wall is known for its steepness, ingenuity
and unique.
Steepness: Built on the
precipitous mountains, there are many places that are unmatched among
other sections of Great Wall. The Heavenly Ladder and the Sky Bridge are
particularly dangerous that they could make everyone on them tremble with
fear.
Ingenuity : compares with other
sections of Great Wall, Simatai is densely dotted with beacon towers, in
which the nearest two are only 43.8m apart and the farthest of 600m. While
in other sections, beacon towers were built at intervals of 500m. In this
section, the walls are in single, double and triple forms and the
watchtowers are round or oblate in shape and composed of two or three
floors. Even the roofs of the tower are also diverse: some are flat, some
cimbalom and some domical shapes.
Unique: Built on the mountain
ridge with limestone caves under it, this section of wall is imposing and
unique among other sections. More interesting is that there are two
springs called Mandarin Duck Springs at the foot of the
Great Wall. The
east one is cold, while the west warm. The two springs join into one lake.
Then half of the lake is cold and the other half is warm. In winter, hot
steam rise from the lake, forming a marvelous spectacle in this area.
Simatai Great Wall is separated
into two parts by a valley, namely the east part and west part. The west
part appears gentle with 20 well-preserved watchtowers dotting here and
there. Comparing with the west part, the east part is somewhat steep and
cliffy. 15 watchtowers densely scattered on the thousand-meter-high peaks,
adding enchanting views to the wall. In this part, the main attractions
include Watching Beijing Tower, Fairy Tower, Heavenly Ladder and Sky
Bridge.
Watching Beijing Tower: With
an elevation of 986 meters, it is regarded as the summit of Simatai
section of Great Wall as well as the highest cultural relics in Beijing.
Mounting the tower at night, one can see lights shimmering faintly in
downtown Beijing. More interesting is that the bricks used to built the
walls here even stamped with the date on which they were made and the code
numbers of the armies that made them.
Fairy Tower: With a sculpture
of twin lotus flowers above the arched doors, it is the most beautiful of
all towers and is known for its exquisite architecture. Legend goes that
it was the dwelling place for an antelope reincarnated in the form of an
angel who fell in love with a shepherd.
Heavenly Ladder: Leaning
against a mountain slope with a 90-degree gradient, it is the way to the
Watching Beijing Tower and the Fairy Maiden Tower. Stretching upward along
the abrupt mountain ridges, the narrowest part is just half a meter wide.
Sky Bridge With a cabined
width of mere 40 centimeter, it is really a 100-meter-long way, connecting
the Fairy Tower to Watching Beijing Tower. Only brave man can pass through
this bridge.
Noted by the UNESCO as one of
the World Cultural Heritages, Simatai
Great Wall is the famous scenic spot
for traveling, exploration and inspection. Now, this site is open to
visitors at home and abroad.
Here is what our Hall of Famers said about
their hike!
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