Resorts to visit in Qingming Festival

【清明Qīngmíng】

Qingming Festival (also known as Pure Brightness Festival or Tomb-sweeping Day), which falls on either April 4th or 5th of the gregorian calendar. There are twenty-four solar terms in China, "Qingming" is the fifth one. From this date, temperatures begin to rise, and rainfall increases, indicating that it is the crucial time for plowing and sowing in the spring. The festival therefore has a close relationship with agriculture. The holidays are from 5th to 7th of April in 2018.

However, it is not only a seasonal symbol, it is also three days of paying respect to the dead, a spring outing, and other activities. 

Today, we have some resorts for you to which you could visit during these holidaies.  

Mutianyu Great Wall

The Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the best-preserved and best-known Great Wall sections. Compared with the top-notch Badaling, Great Wall at Mutianyu is less crowded, thus a good destination on hot holidays for a Great Wall tour at ease. Located 40 miles (65km) to the north of Beijing city proper, it can be reached by bus no. 916 Express with a transfer in Huairou District.

Why Visit Mutianyu Great Wall

1. It is one of the best-preserved sections.

2. Watchtowers are tensely distributed along the Great Wall.

3. Some of the watchtowers are seldom seen along other sections and quite rare in the architectural history of the Great Wall. Examples are the Zhengguan Terrace (No. 6 Watchtower) comprised of three hollow watchtowers, and Big Corner Tower (No. 1 Watchtower), named so because only one big corner can be seen from the paths in three sides.

4. The surrounding natural scenery is breath-taking. Woods cover over ninety-six percent of the total scenic area. Flowers bloom all over the mountains in spring. Grasses dress the hillside green in summer. Trees are laden with sweet fruit in autumn, and especially in October, leaves turn red or yellow, touching the mountain tops with gold. In winter, the wall is covered by snow, making it more magnificent.

5. About 40 miles (65km) to the north of Beijing city center, it is easy to reach from downtown area by public transport.

6. It has been renovated, making it easier and safer to climb. Moreover, it is equipped with cableway and luge, possible for children and seniors to make a visit.

Discarded Cannon

Basic Facts of Mutianyu Great Wall

1. It has a total length of 3.4 miles (5,400 meters).

2. It was first built in Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557). In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang, two famous patriotic generals, rebuilt it in order to strengthen its defensive potential when they guarded the strategic pass. It served as the northern protective screen, guarding the capital and imperial mausoleums for generations.

3. It is mainly made of slabs of granite. It measures 23 feet (7 meters) to 26 feet (8 meters) in height, and 4 yards (4 meters) to 5 yards (5 meters) in width.

4. Both sides of the Great Wall have parapets to defend against enemies. Some parapets are saw- tooth shaped instead of the regular rectangular form. Below the parapets, there are square embrasures, the top of which are designed in an arc structure, different from the traditional round embrasures.

5. There are 23 watchtowers distributed at close intervals along the wall. They are located not only in the main wall but also at the distinctive "branch city". Branch cities are built on the hill ridge against the inner or outer side of the wall. For example, No. 11 Watchtower can be found on the branch wall.

6. Zhengguan Terrace (No. 6 Watchtower) is 44 yards (40 meters) long, 33 yards (30 meters) wide, and 66 feet (20 meters) high. The gate is not designed in the middle, but is on the eastern side. The two-storey terrace is comprised of three hollow watchtowers, a large one in the middle and two smaller ones on two sides. It has many rooms to store grain and station troops.

7. Big Corner Tower (No. 1 Watchtower) is connected with Mutianyu in the west, with Gubeikou in the east, and with a branch city wall in the south. The tower looks like a corner from each angle, so it is called Big Corner Tower.

Opening Hours

March 16 to November 15:
Monday-Friday: 07:30-18:00;

Weekends: 07:30-18:30

November 16 to March 15: 8:00-17:00

Admission Fee 

Adults: CNY 40
Seniors elder than 60: CNY 20 (valid ID or passport required)

Note: If you buy an entrance ticket attached with a postcard of Mutianyu, you need to pay CNY 5 more.

How to tour Mutianyu Great Wall

The scenic area has two entrances: south entrance and north entrance. One can start the visit from either of it.

Hiking:
1. Go through the North Entrance, you will hike up to No. 10 or No. 8 Watchtower.

2. Go through the South Entrance, and you will arrive at No. 8 or Zhengguan Terrace (No. 6 Watchtower).

3. Upon arriving up there, you can hike either northward or southward. The northward route between No. 14 watchtower and No. 23 watchtower has the most beautiful scenery, while the southward route contains the grand Zhengguan Terrace and Big Corner Tower.

Cableway:
Apart from hiking, you may also take a cableway up to the No. 14 Watchtower. The lower station is near the North Entrance, so you can easily find it. It is safer and smoother than the luge, even suitable for children and senior visitors.

Single Trip (for adults) : CNY 100 

Round Trip (for adults) : CNY 120

Service Hours: 

March 16 to November 15: 08:00-17:00
November 16 to March 15: 08:30-16:30    

Cable Car

Slideway / Luge:
You can also take luge down from Zhengguan Terrace (No. 6 Watchtower) near the South Entrance. It is very exciting to take the luge, and a great choice for young people. The fare is listed below.

Single Trip (for adults) : CNY 100 

Round Trip (for adults) : CNY 120

Service Hours: 

Monday to Friday: 08:00-16:50
Weekends: 08:00-17:00   

Luge

When is the Best Time for a Visit?

Although it is suitable for a visit all year round, the best time is April, May, September, and October, when the temperature is favorable, neither too cold nor too hot. But try to avoid May Day Holiday (from May 1st to 3rd), and National Day Holiday (from October 1st to 7th) when there will be more tourists.

How to Get to Mutianyu from Downtown Beijing

1. You need to get to Dongzhimen first. Subway line 2, subway line 13, Airport Express Train, or bus line 3, 106, 107, 123, 131, 132, 401, 404, 416, 418, 852, 866, 915, 915 (express), 918, 980, or 980 (express) can take you there.

2. From Dongzhimen Bus Station, you can take bus line 916 Express or 916 to Huairou North Avenue (Huairou Beidajie) Station. The 916 Express is recommended and it costs CNY 12 (CNY 6 if paid by Beijing Transportation Card) and takes 60-70 minutes. Then, transfer to bus line h23, h24, h35, or h36 to Mutianyu Roundabout. Afterwards, walk about 500 yards (450 meters) to the ticket office of the scenic area. Or, you may take a minivan to the scenic area from Huairou North Avenue at about CNY 50-60.

3. You can also take bus 867 from Dongzhimen Wai (Dongzhimen Outer Station), get off at its terminus, the Hongluo Temple, and then hire a minivan. 867 takes about 2.5 hours and costs CNY 13 (CNY 6.5 if paid by Beijing Transportation Card), and the minivan takes 20 minutes and costs CNY 40-50.

4. The ticket office is still 1.8 miles (3 kilometers) away from the entrances of the scenic area. There are buses shuttling between them. Ticket fare is CNY 10 for a single trip and CNY 15 for a round-trip.

Where to Eat

There are some restaurants near the entrance, but the food they provide is quite expensive. So, you may bring some food and water before departure.

How about Mutianyu Great Wall compared with Badaling?

They are the two most visited sections in consideration of the scenery, equipment, and transportation. If you plan a visit on normal days, both of them are okay, but Badaling is more magnificent. When you plan a visit during peak travel season, Mutianyu is recommended, for Badaling may be overcrowded on some big holidays and you probably cannot enjoy the scenery to the full. 

Ming Tombs

50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest from Beijing City, at the foot of Tianshou Mountain, is the Ming Tombs Scenic Area, aka Thirteen Tombs of Ming Dynasty, where lie the mausoleums of thirteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Since 1409 when Zhu Di, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, built his Changling Tomb here, the succeeding twelve emperors had their resting places built around Changling during the next 230 years, covering a total area of over 120 square kilometers (46.3 square miles). This is the best preserved mausoleum area with the most emperors buried. Every year millions of tourists come to the site to appreciate its long history and palatial architecture.

In the Ming Tombs scenic area, each mausoleum has its own independent unit. The layout and arrangement of all the thirteen mausoleums are very similar, but they vary in size as well as in the complexity of their structures. Each was built in an area at the foot of the mountain, with distances ranging from half a kilometer (547 yards) to eight kilometers (5 miles) between them.  The tombs stretch out on the two sides of Changling Tomb in a fan shape, except for the Siling Tomb, which sits separately in the southwest corner. From site selection to design, great attention was paid to the harmony and unity with nature, pursuing a perfect situation of ‘made by God’ and reflecting the philosophy ‘the unity of heaven and humanity’. As outstanding representatives of the ancient Chinese mausoleum, the Ming Tombs demonstrate the richness of traditional Chinese culture.

At present, only Changling Tomb, Dingling Tomb, Zhaoling Tomb and the Sacred Way are open to the public.

Sacred Way

The Sacred Way in Ming Tombs, also known as Changling Sacred Way, is the approach to the Changling Tomb. Along the Way from south to north, you will see a number of sites (or sights) of interest and beauty, including the Stone Tablet Archway, Great Red Gate, Tablet Pavilion, Ornamental Columns, Stone Figures, Lingxin Gate. 

Sacred Way

Changling Tomb

Walking along the Sacred Way to the end, you can see the Changling Tomb built in 1409, where lie the third Emperor of Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Di and his Empress Xu. It is the largest, original and the best preserved among the 13 Ming Tombs, and has three courtyards in the front and a Treasure City in the round rear part. The magnificent Grace and Blessing Palace (Ling'en Palace) in the second courtyard is highly recommended.

Dingling Tomb

Built from 1584 to 1590, it is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun, the thirteenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty and his two empresses. The highlight part is the stone Underground Palace, which was discovered between 1956 and 1958, and had a great deal of precious relics unearthed.

Dingling Mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun

Zhaoling Tomb

Located in eastern foot of Dayu Mountain, Zhaoling is where the 12th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Zaihou and his three empresses were buried. It features the special Dumb Yard in a crescent shape housing the imperial coffins.

The Crown of Empress

Besides the three tombs above, other ten in Ming Tombs not open to the public are as follows:

How to get to Ming Tombs

By Bus:
1. Take bus 872 from Deshengmen to Dingling and Changling; the bus is available from 7:00 to 20:10.
2. Take bus 345 Express or 886 from Deshengmen West Station, get off at Changping Dongguan Station, and then take bus 314 to the Sacred Way (Nanxin Village Station), Dingling and Changling.

By Subway:
Take subway Changping Line to Changping Dongguan Station, then transfer to bus 314 to Changling or Dingling.
Notice that don't get off at Ming Tombs Subway Station, since since it is still 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the scenic area and you can only hire a local car and may be overcharged.

Note: Zhaoling Tomb is under repairs, and the reopening time is unsure.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

For anything you don’t understand or you want to know, you could reply to the WeChat Subscription or write a comment. 

See you next time.

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