Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Great Wall of China

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A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Guyuan Great Wall by Google.com.

This Satellite Image Map depicts the main area's of interest within Guyuan Prefecture of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The Guyuan Prefecture is most renowned for its ruined remains dated to the Qin Dynasty (221 - 207 BC), the first era of existence of a continuous Great Wall of China. Today, easily identifiable remains of the Great Wall are scarce in Guyuan Prefecture and are hard to reach. Additional remains are supposedly found in the mountains to the west of Guyuan Town. These are not marked on the Map. Contribute and help us improve the information on this section ?

Adjacent Map gives direct access to Guyuan & Great Wall by Google.

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Zhongwei Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on Zhongwei Prefecture of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The location of Zhongwei is also aptly known as the place where the green created by the Yellow River meets the sands of the desert. In the Ming Dynasty Era the (minor) Zhongwei gap, giving access from the Tengger Desert to the south-western tip of the fertile and strategic Ningxia Plain of the Yellow River was plugged by the construction of a mud wall and associated beacon towers. Today many ruins remain along the north rim of town. Another section of the Great Wall at the Yellow River has been "restored"for tourism purposes.

Adjacent Map gives direct access to Zhongwei & Great Wall by Google.

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Sanguankou Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on Helan County in west Yinchuan Prefecture in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the location the "Three Gates Pass" (San Guan Kou). Three Gates Pass is the largest gap in the natural defenses of the Helan Mountains and is situated directly south west of Yinchuan. The Pass gap is long and fairly wide, in history providing the largest strategic threat to the city. As early as the Tangut Dynasty a fortress was positioned inside the pass. Long after its destruction by the armies of Genghis Khan, the Chinese Ming Dynasty decided to plug this dangerous gap with another section of the Great Wall of China.

As its name suggests, the original Ming Dynasty Era fortifications at Sanguankou involved the construction of three layers of fortifications. The outer "wall" was merely a deep and wide horse-ditch. The 2nd and 3rd layers consisted of mud wall. From the Gate the

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Gunzhongkou Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on the Helan County of Yinchuan Prefecture in north Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. As may have become clear from this maps listing various minor passes puncture the protective screen provided by the Helan Mountains due west of Yinchuan. A 3rd minor pass is found several kilometers south of Baisikou and Suyukou. This pass is known as Gunzhongkou. Although only a narrow passage leads into the mountains from the east it eventually leads to major valley and passage way through to the other side of Helan Shan in Inner Mongolia. No Great Wall ruins can be found but your hike could be interesting.

Adjacent Map gives direct access to Gunzhongkou & Great Wall by Google Earth.

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Shuidonggou Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on the area between Yinchuan City the Capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and the fortified Great Wall of China town of Yanchi in Wuzhong Prefecture of east Ningxia. The "Water Cave Gully" (Shuidonggou) section of the Great Wall extends between the east bank of the Yellow River and the west border of Yanchi County of Ningxia. This section is double layered over a long distance and includes a watchtower overlooking the Yellow River as well as the Famous Red Mountain Fortress, a hidden support station for troops defending the Great Wall of China during the Ming Dynasty Era supplied with fresh water from a small stream, the water cave gully, nearby. Today the site and its Great Wall Museum are a popular tourist destination.

Adjacent Map gives direct access to Shuidonggou & Great Wall by Google Earth.

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Yanchi Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on Yanchi Town in Wuzhong Prefecture of Ningxia, the location of the easternmost sections of the Great Wall of China within Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Further east the Great Wall crosses the border into Dingbian County of Yulin Prefecture in Shaanxi Province. To the west lies the Shuidonggou section of the Great Wall leading towards the regional Capital of Yinchuan. Yinchuan was a major garrison city of the Great Wall and Yanchi was its smaller counterpart in the east, one of the stop-over points for troops patrolling along the Wall between Yinchuan and the next major Garrison and Fortress City in Yulin in Shaanxi Province to the north-east. The Yanchi County Great Wall is of great interest for several reason, one of these being that the Great Wall of China double layered near Yanchi, with a secondary wall found well south of Yanchi Town.

In the history of the Great Wall of China, Yinchuan - the Capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region - was a crucial garrison city. During the Ming Dynasty Era (1368 AD - 1644 AD), it was fortified, as were the passes leading from the West through the Helan Mountains to this vital stronghold. The most well-known and thus most visited passes are the "Helan Pass" (Syukou) - where a road still leads today - and the Sanguankou, the "Three Gates Pass" further to the south which today still holds the main road to Bayan Nur in Alxa League in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and was until recently a far flung destination but increasingly visited by (Chinese) tour groups. In reality however, several more passes lead a narrow pathway through the mountains. These "minor" passes were less well defended during the heydays the Ming Dynasty Era Great Wall of China, however at times of danger they were always closely guarded, and the defenses of all passes were integrated by means of fire beacons with those of the fortified city of Yinchuan in the plain to the east.

From North to South, all historically known and mentioned passes through the Helan Mountains have been listed below. These are Suyukou, Baisikou, Huangqigou, Gunzhongkou and Sanguankou.

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Dawukou / Jiucaigou Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on the Shizuishan Prefecture of north Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Originally, the Dawukou and Jiucaigou Great Wall sections closed the gap in north Ningxia existing between Helan Shan in the west and the Yellow River in the center of the plain an invasion route once used by Genghis Khan to annihilate the Tangut civilization. Although most remains of the wall that stood in the plain have vanished since long, a short segment can be found at Dawukou Pass near the remote Dawukou Buddhist Monastery of Dawukou Town in Shizuishan Prefecture.

Adjacent Map gives direct access to Dawukou & Great Wall by Google Earth.

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Helan Pas (Helan Gou, officially Suyukou) Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on the Helan County of Yinchuan Prefecture in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The main pass traditionally presented to tourists visiting Yinchuan is not the main pass through Helan Shan the 2nd largest one found due north-west of the city proper and is officially known as Syukou. There is no road but a village, Changzi (zhen) sits inside the pass.

A minor pass north of Suyukou is known for its ancient "rock art" but has only pedestrian pathways leading through it. It is also home to the Rock Art Museum. Another minor pass, the Baisikou lies immediatly to the South of Suyukou and is home to famous ruined Pagoda's. Neither Suyukou nor Baisikou have ruins of a "Great Wall", however a fortress can be found posted downhill between the two. This is the Qing Dynasty Era fortress known as Zhenbeibao (also: Zhenbeibu) now the location of the famed "Western Film Studios".

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Baisikou Pass, Relics Site and Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on the Helan County of Yinchuan Prefecture of north Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Two or so kilometers south from the much more visited Suyukou "Helan Pass" with its interesting rock art lies the minor pass of Baisikou, giving access to another winding gorge and path leading deep into the Helan Mountains. Although Baisikou has no ruins of a wall, it does have the unique attraction of the Baisikou Twin Pagoda's, two rare examples of a now almost lost architectural style from a conquered culture, the Tanguts. Baisikou was not blocked but was guarded by the nearby Zhenbeibao Fortress.

Adjacent Map gives direct access to Dawukou & Great Wall by Google Earth.

Wall extends a short way northward into the Helan Mountains. To the south the wall extends some 80 kilometers forming the border of Ningxia and Inner Mongolia. Various supporting structures such as beacon towers can be identified behind the main line of the Great Wall.

Adjacent Map gives direct access to Sanguankou & Great Wall by Google.

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Huangqigou Pass, Relics Site and Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on the Helan County of Yinchuan Prefecture of north Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Once more few kilometers south of Baisikou and Suyukou lies the minor pass of Huangqigou leading deep into the Helan Mountains. Its is a notable side-pass of the slightly larger Gunzhongkou to the south and although Huangqigou has no officially reported Great Wall of China ruins, satellite images of the pass show an interesting hilltop line leading away from its narrowest point southward towards the Gunzhongkou pass. Hardly anyone goes there but it could be a place for some discoveries.

Adjacent Map gives direct access to Huangqigou & Great Wall by Google Earth.

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Xiamaguan Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focuses on an area south of Xinglong Mountain and a site best identified as Xiamaguan village (zhen) in Tongxin County of Wuzhong Prefecture of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Xiamaguan, which translates as "Dismounting the Horse Pass", itself was a now ruined but well preserved garrison Fortress during the Ming Dynasty era. Although the outer layer of the Great Wall lay well to the north at Yanchi, dismounting the horse pass fortress provided for strategic depth. In times of distress the main line could be reinforced from here. Equally so, anyone who managed to break through the outer layer could be counter attacked from Xiamaguan. Last but not least, in case the outer layer of defense failed entirely, this Fortress was the next defended Gate and blocking point on the road south into the green and fertile Chinese heartlands.

Apart from the Fortress City there is a clearly

So, in addition to the the Five Main Passes or "Gates" (of the outer layer) of the Great Wall of China (mainly) of the Ming Dynasty era there are 4 more minor passes of the Great Wall, all found in Helan County. What is not widely known is that apart from these, there are several other ruined sites of the Great Wall of China in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Below is a listing of all other sections of the Great Wall of China in Ningxia as well as additional historic sites relevant to the Great Wall of China usually found nearby.

identifiable section of mud built Great Wall extends eastward. Further east the Great Wall crosses the border into Huanxian County of Qingyang Prefecture in Gansu Province where it terminates into a line of hillside Fire Beacon Towers. Historically though the Great Wall provided the border marking in this region, creating borders that are still valid today.

To the west of Xiamaguan village there seem to lie no other ruins. To the north some other remains can be found at Weizou (Weiyi) village (zhen) at the base of Mount Xinglong. This village is also known for its Weiyi Ancient City relics site and the Pagoda tower of its Kangji Temple site. From Weiyi in Yanchi County an Inner layer wall connects eastward to Dingbian in Dingbian County of Yulin Prefecture in Shaanxi Province.

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Yanchi Inner Layer o/t Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on the southern area's of Yanchi County in Wuzhong Prefecture of Ningxia, where a second layer of the Great Wall of China within Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region connects between Huai'Anpu village of Tongxin County, Wuzhong Prefecture in Ningxia in the west and Dingbian Town of Dingbian County of Yulin Prefecture in Shaanxi Province in the east. These southern sections of the Great Wall near Yanchi are publicly far less known than the main section making up the outer layer of the defenses of the wall, traditionally running along the northern edge of the (ancient) village of Yanchi and are therefor sparsely visited. Take your time to get out of town to see various parts, or be thorough and drive the entire road between Huai'Anpu and Dingbian for a complete inspection.

A Full Google Earth Supported Map of Beidachi Great Wall by Google.com.

This Map focusses on Beidachi, a small village just north of Yanchi Town in Wuzhong Prefecture of Ningxia. Beidachi (Otog Qianqi) lies just across the county border and is situated in the -- County of Ordos Prefecture of Inner Mongolia.

Beidachi Wall, also the Otog Qianqi Wall of Inner Mongolia is of particular significance in history as it was found that here lie ruins of the first ever continuous Great Wall of China of the Qin Dynasty Era (221 BC - 207 BC). Although satellite images reveal little or nothing and the encroaching desert may have covered any remaining evidence a location near the village is confirmed through IR satellite imagery as well as on location archeological study as ruins of the Qin Dynasty Great Wall. Other remains of a mud built Ming Era Great Wall lie further to the south in Yanchi County of Wuzhong Prefecture in Ningxia and are 1500 years younger.