I visited the Shanhai Pass yesterday for my biweekly outing. It was an easy day trip from Shenyang.
What’s important about the Shanhai Pass is that it’s the part of the Great Wall that connects to the ocean.
The Great Wall is huge, and spans across China thusly:
On one end of the span, the wall reaches the ocean.
The pass was strategically important, so soldiers were stationed there.
One of the towers.
Proof that I was there.
One of the challenges of historical tourism in China is knowing what is original and what is a reconstruction. I think much of what I saw was a reconstruction.
Chinese crowd, Year 2014
Near the pass is a (tourist trap) market place. When I saw this view, I was reminded of a famous Chinese painting.
Chinese crowd – Year 1114
After viewing the pass, I went to see the actual stretch of the Wall that meets the ocean. This is undoubtably a reconstruction, because the records of its destruction are pretty clear. Still, it’s cool to see what it looked like, and even though it’s a modern construction, it’s still impressive.
A painting in the visitor’s center gives a birds-eye view of the site.
Obligatory Great Wall profile picture
This section is called “Old Dragon’s Head.” From this side angle, I think I see where it gets its name.
Proof that I was there.
I went out and stood on the extreme edge of the wall, so that I can say that I did.
Then I went somewhere else and had a snack.