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| Strange Rock Carvings at Baima Pass Great Wall
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There is no direct evidence linking the rock carvings at Baima Pass Great Wall to those at Miyun County. However, it should be a must for you to try interpreting the strange characters on the 50-meter-wide and eight-meter-high rock while you are hiking along this section of Great Wall. The inscriptions in the rock wall facing the south are written in ancient Nepalese, Mongolian and Tibetan languages, and all are translations of the same Buddhist verses.
On the slope of the small hill to the east of the rock stands a two-meter-high tablet bearing a large character in the script of one of the small countries that once lay to the west of ancient China. It was said to be "blending" character implying a very profound Buddhist doctrine. The two rock carvings are indicative of the prosperity of Ming and Qing dynasty trade with neighbouring countries in the west.
Baima Pass Great Wall is a favourite for wall enthusiasts, and has a strongly distinctive character. To cope with the extremely arduous terrain around this area, the ancient engineers adopted an ingenious design at Baima Pass. At places where the mountain was simply too steep to build on, they would reconstruct the actual mountain and use it as a natural barrier. So you will find quite a few small sections of baseless Great Wall featuring the same colour as the mountains nearby. Baima Pass tower is badly damaged, only part of its south wall and the entrance remain standing.
(Written by Rocket, Photograph : Rocket) |
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