Dreaming of the past? The Ming Dynasty Wall stands before you a silent witness to Beijing’s intricate history.
Hello everyone. I am excited to guide you through a significant piece of Beijing’s past the Ming Dynasty Wall. This wall tells tales of emperors, defenders and a city’s evolution.
Beijing was heavily fortified during the Ming Dynasty. It served as the capital city for five Chinese dynasties. The Ming Dynasty Wall had an inner and outer city. Construction on the outer city wall began at the southern end. The outer city was never completed as planned. Instead, its edges turned inward to join the inner city wall. This created an adjacent layout south of the inner city.
The inner city wall stretched 24 kilometers. The outer city wall was 23 kilometers. Both were protected by moats. The Imperial City sat within the inner city, housing the Imperial Palace, also known as the Forbidden City. Most construction occurred during the Ming Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty later embellished these fortifications.
Sixteen gates punctuated the inner and outer city walls. Sadly, most were demolished between 1922 and 1974. Today, a few inner city gates remain. Zhengyangmen stands at the center of the southern inner city wall. The Southeast Corner Tower marks the inner city wall’s southeastern corner. Deshengmen, though partially destroyed, still stands on the northern wall. Deshengmen is a great place to visit. Its museum showcases the history of Beijing’s city walls.
No towers remain intact along the outer city walls. However, the Yongdingmen gate was rebuilt. It stands in the center of the southern outer city wall. Only a few fragments of the city walls remain. The largest section lies at the eastern end of the southern inner city wall. It stretches between the Southeast Corner Tower and the former Chongwenmen site. This span is about 1230 meters long.
A 210-meter section near the corner tower has been rebuilt. This section is open to the public. It is located behind the Beijing Rail Station. Other fragments exist at the southern ends of the western and eastern walls.
The Ming Dynasty Wall Relics Park is south of the Beijing Rail Station. This park includes a 1.5-kilometer wall running east to west. The park was established in 2001. Wall repairs began in 2002. Only the corner tower and a small section have been restored.
The inner city wall stood 11.4 meters high. Battlements added another 1.9 meters. The wall was brick-lined, filled with rammed earth. It measured 19.8 meters thick at the base and 16 meters at the top. Bastions, known locally as “horse face,” protruded from the wall. These allowed archers to fire from multiple sides. The restored section features 11 bastions on the southern wall and two on the eastern wall.
The Southeast Corner Tower was built between 1436 and 1439. It is the largest corner tower still standing in China. It once housed 200 soldiers.
Imagine soldiers patrolling the wall centuries ago. They protected the city from invaders. Today, the Ming Dynasty Wall offers a serene escape. It is a reminder of Beijing’s rich heritage.
As we conclude our tour, remember the Ming Dynasty Wall. It is more than just bricks and stones. It represents resilience, history, and the enduring spirit of Beijing.