Jiayuguan is the western terminus of the Ming Great Wall, considered the “First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven.” Built in 1372, this massive fortress guarded the narrowest point of the Hexi Corridor — the only route between the Mongolian and Tibetan plateaus.

The fort is legendary for a single brick: the “Ratifying Brick” placed by the master craftsman Yi Kaizhan, who calculated the exact number of bricks needed for the gate tower. When officials found one extra brick, he declared it was placed by the gods to stabilize the wall — and it remains there to this day.

Yumenguan, “Jade Gate Pass,” was the westernmost outpost of the Han Great Wall. Its name comes from the precious jade that passed through here from Khotan (modern-day Hotan in Xinjiang) into the Chinese interior.

Built around 111 BCE, this square earthen fortress guarded the Silk Road’s northern route. The surviving structure — a 10-meter-high rammed earth platform — stands alone in the Gobi Desert, a haunting monument to China’s ancient frontier.

Yangguan, “Sun Gate Pass,” was established during the Han Dynasty (c. 120 BCE) as a frontier checkpoint on the Silk Road. Together with Yumenguan, it controlled the western approaches to the Chinese empire.

The famous Tang Dynasty poem by Wang Wei — “I urge you to drink another cup of wine, for west of Yangguan there are no old friends” — immortalized this lonely desert outpost. Today, only ruins remain, but the Yangguan Museum displays artifacts excavated from the site.

Huangyaguan, “Yellow Cliff Pass,” sits in the rugged mountains north of Tianjin. Its most distinctive feature is the Bagua City — a defensive fortress laid out in the pattern of the Eight Trigrams from the I Ching, creating a maze designed to disorient invaders.

The pass also features the Great Wall Museum, making it an excellent educational destination. The annual Huangyaguan Great Wall Marathon attracts runners from around the world.

Shanhaiguan, meaning “Mountain and Sea Pass,” is the eastern terminus of the Ming Great Wall. The most iconic feature here is the Old Dragon Head (Laolongtou), where the wall extends into the Bohai Sea like a dragon drinking water.

Built in 1381 by General Xu Da, this pass guarded the critical corridor between the mountains and the sea. It was considered the “First Pass Under Heaven” — a strategic chokepoint that controlled access between the Chinese heartland and the Manchurian plains.

Today, visitors can walk the restored wall, explore the Chenghai Tower, and stand at the exact point where stone meets sea.