The Great Wall beyond the crowds

5. Jinshanling in Chengde, Hebei province

Located on the border between Hebei province and Beijing, the Jinshanling Great Wall is hailed as one of the most beautiful sections of the structure. It winds through lush hills, punctuated by watchtowers and guardhouses.

What makes Jinshanling unique is the variety of its watchtowers and defensive structures. The designs change with the terrain, so no two towers are exactly alike. Visitors will find towers with square, round or flat bases, and with roofs shaped like boat canopies, domes, or octagons with pointed tops. There are also multi-windowed lookout towers and storehouses. Scattered across the ridgeline, these towers form a complete and well-coordinated defensive system.

The section was originally built at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt when Ming general Qi Jiguang guarded the northern frontier.

Thanks to its high altitude and dense vegetation, Jinshanling is cool and pleasant in summer, making it an ideal summer retreat. It's also the perfect location for photographers to capture different landscapes across different seasons without having to dodge crowds of tourists. Sunset is particularly spectacular; at dusk, the setting sun dyes the sky blood-red, warming the old walls with a soft orange glow.

Ma Jingna contributed to this story.