Beijing Gubeikou

We learn from our tour guide that there wasn’t wall in Gubeikou at an earlier time in the history. But in the Warring State Period and Qin, Han dynasties, at the places which were in the north and far from of Gubeikou there was the Great Wall, which is known as the most famous attraction in Beijing Xian tour. Then, at the sixth year Tianbao reign in Beiqi Period (555), for the first time, a more than 1,500 kilometer Great Wall appeared from Xihe (Today’s Yulin river in Shanxi Province) to Shanhai Pass, going through. Gubeikou and Juyong Pass were on the opposite of each other. It was the most important alley from Huabei Plain to steppe in Inner Mongolia. It was called most dangerous place. Guancheng was built in Gubeikou, which crossed two mountains, it controlled Shiling in south, and closed to Chaohe, it has a triangle shape. There are three gates about four alleys and three hundred and ten steps away. Xuda built the Guancheng in Ming Dynasty in the 11th year of Hongwu reign(1378AD) Ming Dynasty, and set the guard protects the place.

In Ming Dynasty, Hongwu the 30th(1397AD), the Qianhusuo was promoted to the rear guard. And 3 commanders, 6 army advisors, 5 commanding holder and 1 commanding officer were appointed there. So were 36 chief and vice officers were appointed separately in left, middle, right, before and behind 5 guard points. In Ming Dynasty, Hongzhi the 7th year (1494AD), Gubeikou dispatcher was appointed there too, under the control of Gubeikou General. From Tang Hekou in east to ZhangYuKou in west, there are 15 strategic passes in all. The new-founded Shalingkou Great Wall, as a part of Gubeikou Great Wall, is one branch of Gubeikou. In the Gubeikou, it was an important road from Nanjing of Liao Period to and Zhongdu of Jin Period to Zhongjing and Shangjing. In Song Dynasty, sending envoy to Zhongjing and Shangjing all started from Nanjing (Beijing) via Gubeikou.

Gubeikou visiting is an unexpecting experience for us. On the second day, we take a flight to Xian travel.