Hushan Great Wall

Hushan Great Wall, Dandong, Liaoning

Hushan Great Wall lies near the Yalu River in Dandong City of Liaoning Province, and faces North Korea across the river. It crawls on the Hushan Mountain which literally means "Tiger Mountain", so named because the two towering peaks resemble two tiger ears pricking up into the sky when seen from afar.
 

The Hushan Great Wall was built to strengthen the frontier defense in 1469 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and is the eastern most point of the huge military defensive system. However, due to severe collapse and destruction, people took Laolongtou (Old Dragon's Head) as the eastern-most point for a long time. The excavation of 0.4 mile (600 meters) of ruins in 1989 proved Hushan to be the real eastern-most part. In 1992, a huge amount of money was invested to restore this section. The renovation of 0.8 mile (1,250 meters) of the principal part was completed in 2000 and there are twelve distinctive watchtowers along it.
 

The Gate Tower is the entrance as well as landmark of the scenic area. The grand Gate Tower consists of two parts: the main body at the bottom and the two-storey arrow tower on the top. The main body is made of blue bricks, with a height of 31 feet (9.6 meters) and a width of 22 yards (20.5 meters). The parapet wall is 2.6 feet (0.8 meter) high, with crenellated shooting points. The arrow tower is in traditional Chinese style. It is 15 yards (14 meters) long, 12 yards (11 meters) wide, and 46 feet (14 meters) high. The roof is embellished with blue tiles, which contrast finely with the red pillars. On the eave hangs a tablet, which reads "Hushan Great Wall."
 

Among the twelve watchtowers, No. 8 Watchtower is the most representative, and one you should not miss. It is comprised of two storeys. The first storey is 8.4 yards (7.7 meters) long, and 11 yards (10 meters) wide. You can see four windows on the eastern and western sides respectively. There are also two windows beside an arched door on both the southern and northern sides. Then, you can climb up to the second storey, via a staircase made of blue bricks. It is quite precipitous, so you need to be careful. On the second storey, there is a shelter for soldiers on guard. It is 8.2 yards (7.5 meters) long, and 4.4 yards (4 meters) wide.
 

 Commence hiking from Gate Tower, you will see twelve watchtowers along the way to the mountaintop. You will find that each tower is different and unique if you study them carefully. On the mountain top with an altitude of 480 feet (163 meters), there is a Hollow Watchtower. Here, you can have a bird eye view of the Great Wall. In addition, you can look at people living and working on the other side of the Yalu River in North Korea. Rental telescopes are available at CNY 10, by which you can see more clearly.

 You can descend along the same route, or continue to explore the ancient plank road on the back mountain. Built along the cliff over the Yalu River, the plank road is quite steep and narrow, measuring about 1,000 yards (1,005 meters) long. Be careful when walking on it, especially on the suspension bridge. Along it, you can see North Korean villages and fields.

 After descending, you can go to visit the "One Step to Cross", the nearest place to North Korea. There is a "One Step to Cross" stone by the riverside, where you can take a photo in traditional North Korean clothes. Please note that "One Step to Cross" is the boundary of China and North Korea. There are soldiers on guard. Don’t try to cross the border or take photos by soldiers or military devices.

 Finally, you can go to visit the Great Wall Museum near the entrance of the scenic area. It displays historical relics of soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, such as pottery wares and living appliances. Also, you may enjoy the oil paintings, sculptures, and electricity and light show there. The entrance fee of the museum is CNY 10 per person.

It is about 12 miles (20 kilometers) to the northeast of central Dandong in Liaoning Province.

 You can take a Tourist Bus Line to the site on the square before the Dandong Railway Station. The buses are scheduled at: 6:50, 8:00, 9:00, 11:20, 13:30, 15:20, and 17:20. The trip takes about 40 minutes. The fare is about CNY 4. Return buses operate until 18:00.

 Also, you can take a taxi to the site for CNY 35-40.