Shanhai Pass Great Wall, Qinhuangdao Shi, Hebei Sheng, China
One of the major passes in the Great Wall of China. The words “First Pass Under Heaven” are engraved above one of the gates, and so the site is also known by that name. It is located in Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao, Hebei province.
In 1961, the pass became a National Cultural Site of China. It is a popular tourist destination given its situation at the eastern end of the main line of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. The location where the wall meets the Bohai Sea is nicknamed “Old Dragon’s Head”. The pass lies nearly 300 kilometres (190 mi) east of Beijing and is linked via the Jingshen Expressway that runs northeastward to Shenyang.
Throughout Chinese history, the pass served as a frontline defense against ethnic groups from Manchuria, including the Khitan, Jurchen and the Manchus.
Epic China Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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