Shanhaiguan - A strategic pass where Great Wall reaches sea
The “First Pass under Heaven” with its restored eastern gate was my first destination. A long cobbled slope led up to the parapet and ultimately toward its strong watchtower, or “First Gate Pass”, overlooking the route into Shanhaiguan. Looking east I could pick out, beyond the moat several rice fields, and the earthworks of a former defensive walled settlement. To the north the wall snaked up Jiaoshan Mountain before disappearing on its long westward journey. I asked myself was how it was ever constructed in such difficult terrain? Below in the square, tourists were gathering for photo shoots with a backdrop of the gate. Those days before “selfies” and even owning cameras, many people would dress up in period costumes at photographers’ stalls.
It was time for lunch. East Street (dong dajie) ran between the First Pass and the Bell/Drum Tower. It was lined with small, low-rise restaurant buildings. One had a hand-written notice about “English Menu”. A lady came out to show me the menu - soon I was tucking into some of my favorite dishes. She chatted with me about her hometown and how the restaurant was an extension of their grand family courtyard home, which I was invited to see. This was the hospitality I found in Shanhaiguan, a genuine friendliness including one morning when she learned I was going to walk up the mountain, a packed lunch was spontaneously prepared.
At times I would just explore the town’s narrow alleys, photographing local people and daily life scenes - everything from people playing chess to schoolchildren crowding little shops for snacks - the scene often with a background of the Bell and Drum Tower. In the evenings, sitting at outdoor drinks stalls I watched people, some dressed in classical northeast Hebei costumes dance or exercise next to the city walls while snacks were grilled on wood-fueled barbecues. Constantly bicycles passed, heading for a passage in the walls with “Shanhaiguan” etched in the stonework above.
