Shanhaiguan

Chinese: 山海关
Pinyin: Shān hǎi guān
English: Mountain sea pass
Coordinates: 40°0'33"N 119°45'14"E

The city of Shanhaiguan is a highly fortified city with many interesting places to visit. It is one of the best preserved and most impressive of all Ming Dynasty fortresses and fortified cities, and it is arguably one of the most important locations of the entire Great Wall. It was built and rebuilt by many dynasties, ending with extremely aggressive construction during the Ming Dynasty.

The city is enclosed by high walls with a pass on each of its four sides. The east pass, known as First Pass Under Heaven, is the largest and best-known of these passes.

Shanhaiguan city map

Passes were built at Shanhaiguan by the Northern Qi Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty pass was built in 1381.

A battle at Shanhaiguan in 1644 led to the demise of the Ming Dynasty. The details of this battle are uncertain. With the Ming Dynasty in turmoil, the Great Wall was left minimally guarded. Led by Li Zicheng, rebel forces in the Ming Dynasty went to Shanhaiguan and allowed the Manchus to enter, asking them for help in fighting the Ming general Wu Sangui, who was defeated in the ensuing battle. The Manchus then overpowered Li Zicheng's rebel forces and established the Qing Dynasty.

Shanhaiguan has one of the best Great Wall museums in all of China. (The others are located at the Badaling Great Wall in the Beijing Municipality, at the Jiayuguan Fortress in Jiayuguan City, Gansu Province, and in Dunhuang in Gansu Province.) It is an excellent museum with a wide range of very well-executed exhibits and many interesting photos. The museum is located at 40°0'21"N 119°45'25"E.

About six kilometers (four miles) to the east is the Meng Jiangnu Temple. The temple was built over 1000 years ago, and was repaired during the Ming Dynasty. It has several exhibits and makes an interesting visit, giving insight into one of the best-known of all Chinese legends: The legend of Meng Jiangnu. The legend takes place during the Qin Dynasty and tells the story of young Meng Jiangnu, whose husband was sent off to work on the Great Wall shortly after their marriage. Worried about her husband and the coming winter, Meng Jiangnu made warm clothing for her husband and set off from her home in southern China to the Great Wall to find him. She endured a long journey with many hardships, but eventually arrived at the Great Wall only to learn that her husband had died. She cried so long that her tears crumbled the Great Wall, revealing her husband's dead body within. Stricken with grief, she buried her husband and then threw herself into the sea.

From Shanhaiguan, the Great Wall continues northwest for about 3 kilometers (about 2 miles) to the entrance of the Jiaoshan Great Wall. You can follow most of this stretch of the Great Wall, but once you reach Jiaoshan, you must leave the wall and enter Jiaoshan through the entrance gate, where you must buy a ticket. The wall in this area is in highly varied condition. Some of it is relatively well-preserved. The height of the wall is as high as you will find anywhere along the Great Wall, and its strength, with layer upon layer of brick facing, is impressive indeed.

First Pass under Heaven at Shanhaiguan

Location summary: Shanhaiguan is about 287 kilometers (1781 miles) east of Beijing. The path of the Great Wall from Laolongtou to Shanhaiguan is about 6.4 kilometers (4 miles). The path of the Great Wall from Shanhaiguan to Jiaoshan is about 3.3 kilometers (2.1 miles).

Driving directions: From Beijing, drive east on the G1 Jinghua Expressway for 278 kilometers (173 miles). Take the S024 Donggang North Road exit at Shanhaiguan. Turn right and drive south for 4.1 kilometers (2.5 miles). Turn left on S048 Qinshan Expressway and drive east for 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) to Shanhaiguan.

Key Great Wall locations in the Shanhaiguan area

Shanhaiguan Great Wall map

Shanhaiguan city map

Shanhaiguan area map

Shanhaiguan city map

Mengjiangnu temple and garden

First Pass Under Heaven map

Laolongtou Old Dragon's Head map

Shanhaiguan area map from Old Dragon's head to Jiaoshan

Another Laolongtou Old Dragon's Head area map

Laolongtou Old Dragon's Head parking area map

Shanhaiguan

Ying’an Tower

Shanhaiguan

Bell and Drum Tower

Shanhaiguan

Linlu Tower

Shanhaiguan

Jingbian Tower

Shanhaiguan

Shanhaiguan First Pass Under Heaven

Turner, chinoook, and Bryan
Shanhaiguan
30 September 2010 – the day Turner finished his thru-hike from Jiayuguan to Shanhaiguan
Congratulations again to Turner!