Jiankou Great Wall (Arrow Nock)

If you look carefully at the recent published Great Wall photographic works, you will quickly find that most of the pictures are taken from Jiankou Great Wall. Due to its unique style, steep mountains and beautiful scenery, Jiankou Great Wall has become a photographic hotspot and also a hot travel destination these days. 'Jiankou', is translated as 'Arrow Nock' in English, because the shape of the mountain is like an arrow, with the collapsed ridge opening as its arrow nock.

Located in the mountain ridge of Xizhazi Village, about 30km (19 miles) to Huairou County in Beijing, Jiankou Great Wall was an important section of the wall in Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Owing to the need for renovation, the wall is regarded as one of the most dangerous sections of the Ming's wall. It connects to Mutianyu in the east and joins Huanghuacheng in the west. From east to north, the wall zigzags 9.3 miles from 'The Ox Horn Edge Wall' to 'The Nine-Eye Tower' via 'The Beijing Knot'. Compared with Mutianyu Great Wall, the mountain is higher and steeper, while compared with Simatai Great Wall, it is more winding and varied. It was built from the local material - dolomite. The large pieces of white rock make the wall striking to the eye at a distance.

There are many famous sections of Jiankou Great Wall, such as 'The Nine-Eye Tower', an important command post during the ancient wars. It has three layers, and there are nine holes which look like nine eyes on each side. 'The Beijing Knot' is the meeting point for three walls coming from different directions. 'The Sky Stair', is a precipitous stair whose angle of elevation is 70 to 80 degrees. It leads to 'The Eagle Flies Facing Upward', a watch tower built on the lofty peaks. It is so dangerous that even eagles have to fly facing upward to reach the top. 'Zhengbei Tower' is the right place to appreciate the beauty of the sunrise and the sunset.

Transportation
By Bus
a. Take Bus No.916 at Dongzhimen, get off at Huairou Fangshan (diagonally opposite Huairou First Hospital). There you can find buses to Jiankou Great Wall. The buses run between 10:00 and 15:00.
b. Take Bus 936 (支) at Dongzhimen, get off at Yanxi Huandao in Huairou District. There are buses there to Jiankou The buses run between 10:00 and 15:00.

By Car
a. Dongzhimen Gate – Jingshun Lu – Huairou Kaifang Roundabout – turn left at Yanxi Fangezhuang Roundabout –Shentangyu Village – Lianhuachi Village – Jiankou
b. Sanyuanqiao Bridge – Jingshun Expressway – Kuliushun Roundabout – Huairou Kaifang Roundabout – turn left at Yanxi Fangezhuang Roundabout – Shentangyu Village – Lianhuachi Village – Jiankou

Warm Prompt
It is free to visit Jiankou Great Wall. However, in a state of disrepair, the bricks, walls and steps are loose and unsteady. It is better to go in a group. Visitors should be very careful!

a. Wear durable clothes and trousers. Wear sport sunglasses and goggles.
b. Avoid the wild vegetation and broken bricks.
c. Raise special attention to the following sections: "Sky Stair" (Tian Ti), where visitors should climb on all fours; "The Eagle Flies Facing Upward" (Ying Fei Dao Yang), where a part of the wall has collapsed, so visitors should detour the wall; "Beijing Knot" (Beijing Jie) to "Wangjing Tower": the wall is on the east side and the shrubs are on the west side, with no steps between, so visitors should maintain proper intervals to avoid the rolling broken stones.
d. Be environmentally conscious. Please don't litter on the wall.