Shanhaiguan: First Pass Under Heaven

Why visit Shanhaiguan

• The fortified pass guarding the mountain-to-sea corridor into the capital region, built in 1381 and popularly called Tianxia Diyi Guan, 'the First Pass Under Heaven.'
• Laolongtou ('Old Dragon's Head'), the point where the wall descends off the hills and runs directly into the Bohai Sea — the section's signature image of the Great Wall meeting the ocean.
• Not the Great Wall's true eastern end: wall remains continue roughly 1,000 km further east to the Yalu River, with the Ming wall's actual easternmost stretch at Hushan (Tiger Mountain) near Dandong.
• Associated in folk tradition, not verified history, with the legend of Meng Jiangnü — the Wangfu Shi ('rock where she watched for her husband') and a temple to her sit near the pass.

Getting there

Shanhaiguan sits in Qinhuangdao, Hebei, on the rail corridor northeast of Beijing, and has its own train station served by regular high-speed and conventional services from Beijing. Many visitors combine the trip with a stop in Qinhuangdao city; a taxi, local bus, or chartered transfer covers the short distance between the station, the fortress gate, and Laolongtou on the coast, since the sites are spread a few kilometres apart.

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn give the most comfortable conditions for walking between the fortress gate and the coastal Laolongtou section; summer brings sea humidity and holiday crowds, while winter is cold and windy off the Bohai coast. Avoid the first week of October, the busiest national holiday period.

At the pass

The fortress gate and its restored city walls are relatively level and easy walking compared with the mountain sections near Beijing, while Laolongtou adds a short walk out to the sea-wall platform. Because the fortress, the town walls, and Laolongtou are separate sites a few kilometres apart, plan transport between them rather than expecting one continuous walk.

Nearby heritage records

• Jinshanling Great WallMing
• Shanhaiguan PassMing

Frequently asked

Is Shanhaiguan the eastern end of the Great Wall?

Shanhaiguan is the eastern end of the Ming wall's main fortified line and the point where that wall meets the sea at Laolongtou, but it is not the absolute eastern end of all Great Wall construction. Wall remains continue roughly 1,000 km further east to the Yalu River, with the Ming wall's actual easternmost stretch at the Hushan (Tiger Mountain) Great Wall near Dandong.

What does Tianxia Diyi Guan mean?

Tianxia Diyi Guan translates as 'the First Pass Under Heaven,' a traditional name for Shanhaiguan reflecting its status as the primary fortified gateway on the corridor between the mountains and the sea leading toward the capital region.

What is Laolongtou?

Laolongtou, or 'Old Dragon's Head,' is the stretch of the Shanhaiguan wall that runs down off the hills and directly into the Bohai Sea, giving the famous image of the Great Wall meeting the ocean. It sits a short distance from the main fortress gate.

Is the Meng Jiangnü legend connected to Shanhaiguan real history?

The story of Meng Jiangnü weeping for a husband lost building the wall is a folk legend traditionally set at Shanhaiguan, with a Wangfu Shi ('watching-for-husband rock') and a temple built in her honour, but it is a later popular tale rather than a documented historical event.

How do I get to Shanhaiguan from Beijing?

Shanhaiguan has its own railway station in Qinhuangdao, Hebei, reachable by regular high-speed and conventional trains from Beijing. From the station, a taxi or local bus covers the short remaining distance to the fortress gate and on to Laolongtou on the coast.

Sources

• Great Wall Archive — Data sources & methodology
• China's 2012 national Great Wall resource survey