Lying in Gubeikou(gǔ běi kǒu 古北口) Town northeast of Miyun(mì yún 密云) County about 120 kilometers from Beijing, Simatai Great Wall(sī mǎ tái cháng chéng 司马台长城) stretches about 5 kilometers from Wangjing Tower(wàng jīng lóu 望京楼) in the east and connects to Houchuankou(hòu chuān kǒu 后川口) in the west. It has 35 beacon towers. Constructed under the supervision of Qi Jiguang(qī jì guāng 戚继光), [a famous general in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it is the only part of the Great Walls that still has the original appearance of the Ming Dynasty].

Simatai Great Wall is celebrated for its steepness, queerness and intactness. The main tourist attractions include the Stairway to Heaven, the Fairy Tower, the Heaven Bridge and the Wangjing Tower.
 

Simatai Great Wall is divided into eastern and western parts by a lake, named the Mandarin Duck Lake, which is fed by two springs. One is warm, the other is cold. Even in winter, the surface of the lake will never ice up.
 

The eastern part of the Great Wall has 15 watchtowers and was constructed on the steep ridge of the mountain. It looks like a winding dragon jumping out of the lake. There tourists can appreciate the Stairway to Heaven, the Fairy Tower, the Heaven Bridge and the Wangjing Tower.
 

In order to reach the Fairy Tower, tourists must climb the 85 degree slope Stairway to Heaven which is about 100 meters long and allows only one person to pass. Legend has it that the Fairy Tower was transformed from an antelope and that once the Lotus Flower Fairy lived there, hence its name. On the tower, there are some marble arches carved with lotus patterns.

With a height of about 1,000 meters above sea level, the Wangjing Tower is built on the highest part of the Great Wall. Between the Fairy Tower and the Wangjing is the Heaven Bridge, built across a deep abyss. Standing on the Wangjing Tower one can see the outline of Beijing City.

Along the Simatai Great Wall one can also find a section laid with bricks carrying inscriptions, such as "Made by Ningxia(níng xià 宁夏) Camp", "Made by the left camp of Shandong(shān dōng 山东) in the 6th year of the Wanli(wàn lì 万历) reign" and "Made by the infantry camp of suppressing enemy troops in the 6th year of the Wanli reign". These messages not only record their origin, but also the period of time they were written.

Compared with eastern part of the Great Wall, the western part is smoother. One can enjoy the intact pack walls, crenels, and kilns, animal and flower embossments.

Simatai also offers a wide range of activities. Tourists can go boating, swimming or fishing in the Mandarin Duck Lake.

Goats played an important role in building this section of the Great Wall on such precarious mountain ridge centuries ago, with each goat carrying a single brick to the top on each trip. Ironically, goats also played an equally important role in its dismay centuries later after its construction. Peasants residing near the site raised goats to generate extra income, and the goats eat the vegetation that protects the soil around the wall from erosion. In order to protect and recover the vegetation, the Chinese government banned the local population from raising goats, but peasants protested, claiming that the governmental compensation was not enough, and that they do not receive any benefits from the tourism. Many peasants also blame low compensation on corruption, a controversy that remains to this date. The ban did, however, greatly help the recovery of the local vegetation.

With its fantastic scenery and precipitous topography, Simatai Great Wall is a remarkable place for sightseeing, hiking and exploration. It has been acknowledged by the UNESCO as one of the World Cultural Heritages.
 

Travel tips:

1. Get there:

Take the tourist special bus from Xuanwumen(xuān wǔ mén 宣武门) or Qianmen(qián mén 前门) in Beijing through to Simatai Great Wall (only operates on weekends and on public holidays).
Take No. 980 or 970 city bus at Dongzhimen(dōng zhí mén 东直门) in Beijing to Miyun County and then get on the bus to the Simatai Great Wall.
 

2. Fees