Jiankou Great Wall Tour Summary

Number of participants: 20 Activity purpose:

1. To appreciate China’s ancient culture - the grandeur and magnificence amidst ruins
2. To enhance class collaboration and unity
3. To enrich everyone’s extracurricular life and broaden their horizons

Activity Record:

In the vast and majestic Bohai Sea, in the desolate and remote northern frontier, on the majestic Xiao Yue Peak, and on the dusty and isolated island, a magnificent and mystical Chinese dragon dances, which is the immortal Great Wall.

Life is full of uncertainties and unexpected encounters. I have always had a longing for the Jiankou Great Wall, and I have always wanted to visit it, but I never had the chance, so Jiankou became a beautiful expectation in my heart.

Today, our class organized an outdoor activity, and the destination was the Jiankou Great Wall that I had been longing for. The Jiankou Great Wall in Huairou is a section of the “Wild Great Wall”; the Great Wall in Beijing is 629 kilometers long, of which 600 kilometers are in a natural state, known as the “Wild Great Wall”. The broken, ancient, and simple bricks and stones stretch across the mountains and valleys, and the unadorned natural beauty makes people feel the unyielding spirit of the Great Wall.

At 5:50 in the morning, our classmates gathered in front of the Gongzhu Building and set off. We took the bus to Xizhimen, then transferred to the subway to Dongzhimen, and then took the 916 bus to Huairou, and finally took a small van. After an hour, we finally arrived at a farmhouse at the foot of the Jiankou Great Wall. It was already 11:00, and we had been admiring the scenery along the way. I really love the feeling of walking on mountain roads, and I really love the scenery in the mountains. The blue sky and white clouds seemed to be getting closer and closer as we climbed higher. The mountains were covered with bare rocks, which looked like a traditional Chinese ink painting from a distance. I thought to myself, living in such a place would be like being in a paradise. Each mountain peak had a beacon tower, and the continuous city wall was like a thread, connecting one peak to another. As I followed the mountain peaks, I knew I was getting closer to Jiankou.

“Zhao’s Mountain Residence” is a farmhouse and also a home for photographers. Many photographers who have taken pictures of the Great Wall have stayed here and left their works, exchanging ideas with each other. This makes the farmhouse quite famous. In front of the house, there was a rack with corn and lanterns hanging from it. Such scenes are common in rural areas. What I found strange was that the central room of the south-facing house was used as a kitchen, which is usually used as a living room. The house was decorated with many gourds hanging on the walls, and there was a large pot that could cook for 30 people. The rooms on both sides were used as guest rooms, with only one large bed in each room. The female owner was very enthusiastic. Due to time constraints, we had to climb the Great Wall first and then have lunch. At around 12:00, we started our journey to the Great Wall.

From the mountain residence, we climbed up the mountain valley and saw a beacon tower standing alone on a mountain peak in the distance. However, it didn’t have the feeling of a man-made Great Wall with shiny bricks and tiles. As we walked on the small mountain path, the girls and some boys couldn’t keep up, so we encouraged and helped each other along the way. To see the scenery of the Great Wall, I quickened my pace, regardless of the grass and trees around me. After a while, the scenery in front of me suddenly became clear, and I saw a Great Wall platform standing in front of me. I climbed up to the platform and looked around. The road behind us was steep and cloudy. The platform was at the lowest point, with the Great Wall leading up to both sides, which were all broken and covered with rubble. There was a platform at the top of each section. Looking closely at both sides, I saw that the Great Wall on the right side stretched far into the distance, with a beacon tower in the distance. However, on the left side, I only saw one beacon tower, and the direction of the Great Wall behind it was unknown. This place was formed by the collapse of the city wall, with only rubble and stone dust visible, and solid stones underneath. Holding onto the solid stones exposed outside the rubble, I stood on the platform, which offered a panoramic view of the surroundings. The Great Wall stretched down from the platform, without any bricks or tiles in sight. In the distance, there was a beacon tower, which was incomplete.

It took us 40 minutes to reach the Great Wall. Everyone was exhausted, but we were also very happy because the scenery was truly magnificent and beautiful. The mountains stretched out continuously, and although the plants had not turned green yet, there was a sense of vastness and grandeur. The sun shone through the clouds, and we could see the mountains on the other side, which were sometimes bright and sometimes dark. A large area was covered by clouds, while other areas were bathed in sunlight. The feeling of having a broad view was great. We basked in the warm sunshine and moved forward, laughing and chatting. It is said that the Jiankou Great Wall is the most beautiful and majestic section of the Ming Great Wall, which is why photographers love it so much. Unfortunately, we are not photographers, but we were happy nonetheless.

We rested on the Great Wall for a while, took some photos, and ate some food. Then, we prepared to head towards the right side of the Great Wall. The path was covered with broken bricks and rubble, and there were hardly any stairs. The area was overgrown with weeds and trees, and only a small path was visible. The Great Wall wound its way through the mountains, and even a short section took a long time to walk. The ups and downs were quite steep, and we had to climb up and down repeatedly. Of course, there were some relatively flat areas, which helped to ease the tension.

Whenever we reached a dangerous section, we would help each other, with the braver boys going first to explore the path, and then the others would follow, helping the girls along the way. One of our classmates had a mild fear of heights, so whenever we reached a dangerous section, we would work together to help him get through safely. Our teacher and counselor reminded us to be careful and to help each other, and before we knew it, we had passed through many treacherous sections.

We took photos at a relatively high beacon tower and rested for a while. Since time was running out, we decided to start looking for a way down. We walked for another half hour and saw the path down the mountain, so we began our descent.

Looking back, the journey was sometimes difficult and painful, but the feeling of overcoming our own limitations also made us proud. As we descended, I felt a sense of relief. We walked in a line, helping each other, and sometimes moved slowly and carefully. Later, the path became easier to walk, and we finally felt at ease, thinking that we hadn’t taken the wrong path. In the second half of the journey, everyone chatted and laughed, and before long, we reached the foot of the mountain.

When we returned to Zhao’s Mountain Residence, the classmates who had arrived earlier had already prepared tea for us. We discussed and decided to have lunch before leaving. Everyone was tired, so we sat in chairs, chatted, and played cards. After a while, lunch was ready, and we ate. We took the same van back to school.

And so, our Jiankou trip came to a successful end.

Due to time constraints, I will post this version to the academy first, and later I will write another article.