Badaling Great Wall

Introduction

Badaling Great Wall is located in Yanqing County which is 70 kilometers north of Beijing city. This section of the Great Wall was built from spring to autumn a period between 770 BC and 476 BC. It was the first section to be opened to tourists in 1957 after it was reconstructed in the Ming Dynasty between 1368 and 1644 AD when the government moved its capital from Nanjing to Beijing and the wall was a very important pass to protect the city on the north side against the intrusion of northern Mongolians. The total length of this section of the Great Wall is 12 kilometers and has a total of 43 watchtowers, although only 3.74 kilometers and 19 watchtowers have been restored and opened to visitors. The wall’s width is 6 meters wide and 7.8 meters tall with its highest point being Beibalou that is approximately 1,015 meters above sea level. It was built from huge stone bars and bricks with its interior stuffed with rammed earth and small stones to further strengthen it. The wall also has holes drilled on it to allow soldiers to shoot arrows as they kept track of their enemies.

Because of how well it is preserved and maintained, Badaling section of the Great Wall shows the Great Wall as it looked when it was first constructed. The wall got its name Badaling meaning eight prominent peaks from how it is easy to navigate through traffic in the region suggesting its strategic importance and convenience. In Chinese 'Bada' means giving access to all directions. In ancient times, smoke and fire were used as signals when soldiers found an invader then the signals would be sent to other parts via Great Wall at the fastest speed to reach the capital and hence the whole country will get prepared for war. The fire was always lit on beacon towers in the evening and smoke was used during the daytime. The number of the smoke and fire columns always represented the number of invaders. This traditional communication system was being used for over 2700 years.

Things and activities to do on a visit

Hiking

A visit to the Badaling Great Wall gives visitors a chance to have a rather smooth hike as the stairs are not very steep and there are side lines with handrails in most parts. The Great Wall can be seen winding its way in the midst of undulating high peaks and magnificent scenery. The Great wall experiences four seasons and in spring the vicinity gets covered in flowers.

North Section

This north section has the most magnificent scenery but has the steepest slopes and a total of twelve watchtowers including the renowned stone stele engraved with the words “He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man” located near number 8 Tower which is also the highest point in this section with magical bird’s eye views. Also on this section is tower number 9 through to number 12 which are quiet a challenging hike trail.

This section can also be explored on a cable car and a thrilling pulley. The cable cars run between the parking lot of the back mountain and number 8 north tower and are suitable for a more relaxing visit and for seniors and children. The pulley is however not recommended for children and seniors because it is not sealed but it runs from the lower station next to the Bear Garden at the front mountain and the upper station near number 4 towers.

South Section

This section has a total of seven watch towers with gentle slopes as compared to the north section and it gets fewer visitors meaning one can enjoy the beauty of the wall away from the crowds in a more leisurely manner. This section also has a cable car running between the opposite of Zhan Tianyou Memorial Hall and number 4 South Tower. Its furthest tower is tower number 7.

Towers

There are more than 43 towers on the Badaling Great Wall that were used for signaling, guarding, watching and battling invaders. The towers have diverse interiors and exteriors which were very effective in their functions. They have a rectangular shape that is two storied and the ground level of the watchtower served both as both the storage area for weapons and a defensive structure.

The upper level was a battlement with peepholes and portholes for archers and sets of beacon towers for signaling and sending out warnings and are located at regular intervals serving as very important defensive grounds on the Great Wall.

Beacon Tower

There are several sets of beacon towers on the Great Wall for the sole purpose of defense constructed every 5 to 10 kilometers. The beacon towers structure is big enough to generate the signals there were supposed to be passed.  A fire and smoke warning would set to attract the attention of other consecutive beacons hence conveying the message far and wide.

Fortress

The fortress has two main gates; the eastern gate, Ju Yong Wai Zhen and the western gate, Bei Men Suo Yue. These Fortresses divide the Great Wall into many sections. They are mid-sized and are shaped into trapezoids. Their walls are strong and tall and strong measuring 8 meters high and 20 meters wide to allow the soldiers to fight against the invaders. There are two high prominent fortresses that allowed guarding solders to keep an eye on the invaders from a distance.

Ancient Cannon

This is the most advanced weaponry of the Ming Dynasty that is found near the entrance to Badaling Great Wall. There are five pieces of ancient iron cannons that were set up in 1638 with the largest being 2.85 meters long.

Summer palace

Introduction

The Summer Palace is located in the Haidian District northwest of Beijing and 15 kilometers from downtown. The Summer Palace was first built in 1750 by Emperor Qianglong but was later destroyed in the war of 1860 by the Anglo-French Allied Forces and later restored on its original foundations in 1886. In 1888, the Summer Palace was given its present Chinese name, Yihe Yuan. It was later destroyed by the Allied Forces of the Eight Powers in 1900 but was later reconstructed in the Qing Dynasty before it was opened to the public as a tourist attraction in 1924. In 1998 it was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The Summer Palace covers a total of 2.9 square kilometers and has been used as a spot for retreat, residence and relaxation area for imperial families. As other dynasties occupied the palace they modified it but it was during the late Qing dynasty and the regency of Empress Dowager Cixi that the palace obtained its current grandeur. The general landscape of the Summer Palace incorporates natural hills and open water with artificial features like halls, pavilions, palaces, bridges and temples to create a harmonious setting that strives to maintain a conducive environment. Due to its layout, the Summer Palace was able to combine its residential, administrative, political, recreational and spiritual functions. 

Things to see and do on a visit

The Long Corridor

This is a 728-meter long walkway that was constructed in 1750 so that everyone would have sheltered walks in the garden regardless of the weather condition. The corridor is magnificently endowed with at least 14,000 paintings from famous Chinese legends. Its overall landscape creates a completely pleasant atmosphere for unwinding surrounded by willows, lotus flowers, boats and bridges. 

Kunming Lake and Boating 

Kunming Lake is located at the center of the park taking up 75% of the park area and is the key landscape element in the Summer Palace. Visitors can take a boat ride on Kunming Lake in summer to see an island temple and three large islands taking the aspect of ancient Chinese symbolic mountain garden design. Towards the south, of which is linked to the East Dike by the Seventeen Arch Bridge. An essential feature is the West Dike with six bridges in different styles along its length. 

Longevity Hill

Longevity Hill is a man-made steep hill that rises 60 meters high and sits beside a lake dotted with excellent halls and temples that have superbly decorated gates. It is made out of mound extracted from the area that is the current Kunming Lake.

The Court Area

The Court area is near the East Palace Gate in the palace buildings where Empress Cixi and Emperor Guangxu used to conduct government business. They also used to stay in the area that includes a number of courtyards and halls. 

Wenchang Gallery

This is an exhibition of artifacts, relics, jade, furniture and bronze dating back to the Shang dynasty. These materials are collected from imperial families.

The Heralding Spring Pavilion

The Heralding Spring Pavilion is the only pavilion that displays the most stunning and comprehensive view of the whole palace all the way to western mountains. The pavilions name comes from the fact that its the topmost spot where visitors can admire spring colors throughout the palace. It also sits over the water making it more unique surrounded by rocks. Before you reach the pavilion on the path leading to it there are interesting water calligraphers who display their artwork on the pavings. 

The Garden of Virtue and Harmony 

The Garden of Virtue and Harmony is located on the right of the administrative Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. The garden is an imperial leisure complex and is home to the imposing Grand Theatre. The restored theater in the palace where visitors can sit and watch traditional Chinese performances. Empress Cixi was a fan of the Peking opera and she requested the construction of a performing space that remains to date the country’s largest and most impressive.

Just directly opposite is the ornate Hall of Nurtured Joy, where the Empress Dowager relaxed and watcher performances with his special invited guests.

The Bronze Ox 

This bronze ox dates back to 1755 and is located near a pavilion facing Kunming lake with its back inscribed a poem of eighty characters written by the Qianlong Emperor. 

The Spacious Pavilion 

The Spacious Pavilion is the palace’s largest pavilion amongst all the other pavilions. Inside the pavilion is an impressive work of art and colorful wooden structures.

Marble Boat

At the northern edge of the lake sits the only western-style building in a very interesting form that is in the shape of a Marble Boat. It was constructed in 1755 but was burned down by the French and Britons in 1860 during the Second Opium War. The current building was reconstructed in 1893 and is decorated with colored bricks, wheels and glass windows.

Suzhou Market Street

Suzhou Market Street was set up during Qianlong’s Emperor resembling the architectural design of the southern city of Suzhou. It was actually built to impress one of the emperors homesick concubines but the strip was damaged by the French and British forces in 1860 and was later reconstructed in 1990. Nowadays it is home to shops and many boats can be seen floating and riding through its 300-meter canal.

Through these boats, there are riverside shops and most of them can only be accessed through boats. Back in the days, emperors and their concubines would pretend to be shopping although everything was bought for them.

South Lake Island

At the south lake island, visitors can get the best view of the Longevity Hill from way across the lake. In addition to this, there is an imperial Hall of Embracing the Universe where locals relax and unwind. 

The Jade Belt Bridge

This jade belt bridge is also known as a moon bridge and it features a series of Japanese and Chinese gardens and arches steeply. Looking from a distance the bridge’s arc reflects on the lake creating an illusion of a circle hence the name the moon bridge. The high arch was also set in high levels to allow Qianlong Emperor’s elaborate dragon boat to effectively pass beneath it.

The Four Great Regions 

These series of temples combine Tibetan and traditional Chinese architecture mixing color white and red creating the most magical and shimmering buddhas in the midst of steep steps. 

The Tower of Buddhist Incense

This majestically decorated Tower of Buddhist Incense is home to an impressive five meter tall Thousand Handed Guanyin Buddha. The tower is very pleasing to look at. 

The Sea of Wisdom 

This is yet another conspicuous Buddhist monument that is also the highest building in the area. It is characterized by repeating Buddhas both big and small on the inside and its facade is yellow glazed in green. 

Baoyun Bronze Pavilion

Located near the Longevity Hill, this pavilion is made of 207 tonnes of bronze and has a blackish green color sitting in the middle of other colorful buildings. 

The West Causeway

This West Causeway was built in the same criterion as Hangzhou’s renowned West Lake. This western strip is completely calm and quiet and is lined with pavilions and bridges shaded by the most colorful flowers and green trees. 

The Seventeen Arch Bridge

This 150 meter high Seventeen arch bridge is very conspicuous and is decorated by hundreds of lion statues. During summer, the sun shines on this Bridge to form the most auspicious sight. 

The Hall of Joyful Longevity 

The hall of joyful longevity is set up in a siheyuan style courtyard environment that was built in 1750 as a gift to Emperor Qianlong’s mother 60th birthday. The courtyard was later rebuilt by empress Dowager Cixi after it was destroyed by British and French forces. It is home to an 8 meters wide and 4 meters tall rock that was first discovered in the southwest of Fangshan district by Ming dynasty official and stone enthusiast Mi Wanzhong, who spent all his fortune trying to transport it back to his city residence but he left it halfway due to lack of funds. When emperor Qianlong came across it and saw its resemblance to a renowned fungus perceived to miraculous extend powers, he moved the stone to the summer palace. However, to date many suspicious visitors connect the rock to bad lick and even choose not to take photos with it fearing their own bankruptcy.

Dragon and phoenix statues

This pair of bronze statues are located on either side of the entrance as it is traditionally with the Chinese customs representing the empress and the Phoenix represents the power that empresses Cixi held.