Jiayuguan Fort is a statement. To any visitor from the west, the massive complex – over 600 metres of fortress wall enclosing towers with upturned flying eaves, red columns and elaborate carvings – announces, unmistakably, that you are now in China.
Welcome to China
The symbolism is intentional. Since its construction, Jiayuguan Fort has been considered the beginning of the Great Wall in the west and a border marker between China proper and its frontier hinterlands. Its eastern-facing gate bears the inscription “The Gate to Glorious Civilisation.” On the western gate there was once a plaque describing the fort as “The First Fortified Pass Under Heaven” (also translated as “The Greatest Pass Under Heaven” or “The Strongest Fortress Under Heaven”). Apparently this plaque was lost or stolen in the 20th century, but we found what seems to be a reconstruction just outside the fort.
We think this plaque says “The strongest fortress (or pass) under heaven,” but we’re stumped by the last character (help gratefully accepted)
Work on the fort was begun in 1372, just four years into the Ming Dynasty, when General Feng Sheng recommended to the Emperor that a fortification be established in the area to guard the Hexi Corridor. The initial structure was probably nothing more than a rammed earth enclosure, similar to the short section of wall we have already walked but on a somewhat larger scale.
Like the Great Wall as a whole, Jiayuguan Fort was built in stages using several construction methods. The western gate tower was added in 1495, the eastern tower in 1506, and the walls were raised and strengthened over time. In its finished form, the walls were (and remain) 9 metres tall, with the lower 6 metres constructed from rammed loess and the remainder from adobe.
These arrow loops on top of the fortress walls are now home to many swallows
Today the fortress walls encompass an area of 2.5 square kilometres that includes an interior city; wengcheng, which are additional internal walls built near the fortress gates to provide a second line of defence; and the 13-metre high, three-storey towers pictured below.
Jiayuguan Fort from the desert
The wall connects with the fort from south and north to form a continuous line of defence. It meets the fort near the southwest corner, then extends from the northeast corner before petering out (temporarily) a few hundred metres north of the fort (i.e., the precise point where we got lost on our second day out).
The wall running north from the fort
(References: Dong Yaohui, The Eternal Great Wall (Beijing: China Nationality Art Photograph Publishing House, 2005); Julia Lovell, The Great Wall: China against the World, 1000 BC – AD 2000 (London: Atlantic Books, 2006); Arthur Waldron, The Great Wall of China: From History to Myth (Cambridge University Press, 1990).)
Are you guys carrying all those books you source or do you have a book porter!
Cripes that must be at least an extra 5kg’s or so!
Are you guys carrying all those books you source or do you have a book porter?!
Cripes that must be at least an extra 5kg’s or so!
We missed Emma and Brendan on the radio last Monday night, we were being patriotic and watching Australia lose to Japan in the soccer … that is, of course, until Australia won the game in the dying minutes. If anyone has a digital file i’d appreciate it if you could let me know and I’ll store it in the archives.
Emma and Brendan,
I’m full of admiration for the adventure you’ve set out upon and I’ve been enjoying this blog and all the wonderful photos and commentary. With a bit of help I’ve worked out that the last character on the plaque is “guan” and that you correctly translated it as ‘pass’. It could also be translated as a stategic pass or gateway. Also, the first two characters “tien sha” mean “the world” when written together, or historically “all of China”. With love from your cousin in Taiwan.
Wonderful photos! How come you take better photos on one trip than I have managed in eight trips to JYG over the last year?
Benython wrote:
Benython,
Great question! Easily worth two posts;-)
We’ve scanned a small library on the wall and Chinese history into our laptop to try to cover our ignorance (also, our Chinese textbooks in the mostly vain hope we’ll have time to study).
We’re not beasts of burden, y’know.
e&b
Hi guys, I have an MP3 to send you of the nationally broadcast interview on ABC Radio. (It is 5000kb).
Should I email it to George? Or to you guys? If to George I will need his email address.
Thanks; and love the site it looks great! As your Dad said Em, internet caviar…
xx
Did you drop your books while walking, by any chance? I see there was a 5.1-rated earthquake in Gansu earlier today.
I have just returned from a trip to USA…
When I told people of your venture all were (naturally)
full of admiration…none more so that Dr Wong, ,my
seat buddy on a flight to Japan. He could not believe that you would/ could do this…he was fascinated and will contact you I am sure, sometime in his very busy schedule.
He found it fascinting that so many hundreds of years ago
the Chinese people were so forsighted as to build a track for and Ozzie and a Yank to take a stroll on..! He cetainly felt that not many Chinese would atempt this. I told him several had, as had several people of other nationalities.
He said that he would love to be there at the END, and maybe bring his ABC children over to see your achievement.
His obvious admiration made me feel very proud.
I also think it would be a great place for a Cold Comfort concert?? Think about it. Love Di
Hey Guys,
have a great mission on the greatest path of them all! You guys are troopers!
Check out my site http://www.greatwalldvd.com for a preview of my book First Pass Under Heaven, published by Penguin about my walk along the length of the Great Wall. You’ll really appreciate it I think after you finish your massive journey. There’s a DVD too there to watch as well.
If you want to link our sites reciprocally:
First Pass Under Heaven – Nathan
Gray’s journey along the Great Wall of China
Best wishes and safe travels. You’re amongst some of the most generous and wonderful people in the world!
Nathan Gray
Love following your journey. We so enjoyed seeing Di in D.C. for Dad’s 90th birthday. Too many years had passed, but we were still the same, of course.
Mary Sharon