"Cloud. Visit Essays on the Great Wall (23), Simatai

It was many years ago that I saw a photographic work. A broken city wall hung like a vertical chain on a steep wall close to 90 degrees under the thick and weak cover of white gauze clouds.

The main idea of that picture is to show that the pace of human civilization is so fearless. I am really shocked by the momentum in the picture, and even want to know why people want to build such buildings on such steep walls. How can people build such buildings on such steep walls?

Later, I learned that the broken wall was originally a part of the Great Wall in Wan Li, and the location of the Great Wall was in Simatai.

I have been to Simatai Great Wall three times-even three times. I first went there in 2003, when Beijing was suffering from SARS. Afraid of being isolated, I drove my parents to Simatai during the May Day Golden Week.

Beijing-Jingcheng Expressway to Simatai 120 kilometers, not too close. At that time, it was widely rumored that some scenic spots were closed, but there was no media report. Thinking that some places should be left for everyone to relax, I went with the mentality of giving it a try.

After Miyun county, I began to play drums in my heart, looking for relevant announcements all the way, and the result was not. I once thought I got a bargain. However, when we arrived at the Xiaotanghe intersection of 10 1 National Road, on the way to the Simatai Great Wall, we were greeted by a crossbar blocked on the road, and the road sign showed that it was only the last 9 kilometers away from the Simatai Great Wall.

120: 9, the lack of an open and transparent mechanism at that time was really harmful!

If you can't go to Simatai, just continue northbound along the national road 10 1 and arrive at Gubeikou in the form of nine to ten kilometers. Before entering the Gubeikou tunnel, we can see the beacon tower proudly standing on the peak, and a wall connects them in series, hovering high between the continuous ridges.

Judging from the trend, that section of the Great Wall should belong to a part of the Panlongshan Great Wall, and together with Sima Tai, Wohuling Great Wall and * * *, the Gubeikou Great Wall was built. 1933, in order to resist the Japanese invasion of North China, the China army launched the famous Great Wall War of Resistance, and Gubeikou was one of the most difficult main battlefields. The officers and men of the 17th Army of the National Revolutionary Army forged the unyielding backbone of the Chinese nation here with their blood.

At that time, I wanted to go to the town to find the cemetery of the soldiers killed in the battle of Gubeikou, but because of the embarrassment at that time, the locals avoided us and could not show off everywhere. It's hard to say that we have no regrets. This is my first experience with Sima Tai.

02

I went there again the following spring. I go there by bus alone. Because it is not a weekend, there is no through train in Beijing, so we have to take a bus to Miyun at Dongzhimen Bus Terminal first. I don't often go to Miyun, so I impulsively want to get together with some classmates in Miyun in the suburban car and dial the phone to the boss of the dormitory next door when I was in college. I talked about the right and wrong that I haven't seen for many years, but I still didn't tell him that I was on my way to Miyun.

Everyone has too many things to do, and we are no longer the ones who play guitar and sing until dawn on the playground. It's just that this phone call came out of thin air, and it caused me a lot of trouble. I got off the bus and walked on the street of Miyun like a thief, for fear of hitting someone in this small county, or being hit by someone.

There is no direct bus to Simatai in Miyun County, which I didn't expect. Fortunately, the kind people in Lu Yu showed me the way, and then drove slowly through Taishitun to the racecourse. This is a small village at the foot of the mountain. People there are familiar with the tourism industry in Simatai. Many triple jumpers stopped at the crossroads of the village. As soon as the backpackers got off the bus, they flocked to ask if they wanted to go to Simatai.

It is about five or six kilometers from the racecourse to Simatai. This is what the driver told me, and it is also the data related to the riding price, which is similar to the distance I measured on the map afterwards. It's not steep all the way up the mountain, but it's still hard because of the three jumps.

Unable to cope with the deafening noise, three jumpers poured into the carriage with cold air mixed with oil smell, which made people unconsciously wrap the neckline and cuffs of thin down jackets, looking forward to the end of this trip. Looking at the mountain behind Simatai village through the small window, the car is mostly bare, which is disappointing in terms of the scenery on the mountain.

Simatai Reservoir is at the foot of Simatai Great Wall, and Panshan Road on the mountain passes there. The surrounding vegetation is still lush, but it is also decorated with a smile. The green in early spring is still not thin, floating shallowly on the dry canopy, as if a mountain wind could blow it away. However, when we walk along the mountain road, we can see several peach trees, which are in full bloom, which is the most touching memory left by spring to that desolate mountain.

Separated by the reservoir, the Great Wall on the ridge is divided into two parts. The western section of the Great Wall crosses a mountain ridge and enters Luanping County, Chengde, Hebei Province, which is called Jinshanling Great Wall. The Great Wall in the eastern section is Simatai Great Wall, which will eventually lead to Xianfu. The reason for this division is not the will of the ancient Great Wall, because the Great Wall of the world is not a complete strategic defense system, but has become a scenic spot, which is occupied by various management agencies in sections, a bit like the guard station that managed various sections of the Great Wall in ancient times.

The kind-hearted triple-jump driver told me that if I want to detour back to Beijing, I can sneak through the Jinshanling Great Wall and get out of the North Gate 10 1 National Road, which is Hualougou in Luanping County. If you are lucky, you can stop the bus from Chengde to Beijing and go straight back to Beijing.

However, after swimming the Great Wall of Simatai, my legs are sore and my feet hurt, so I don't even bother to get off the cable bridge above the reservoir, let alone try my luck to escape the ticket across Jinshanling. Therefore, we should go back the same way and leave Jinshanling to the future. This is my second trip to Simatai.

03

The third time I went to Simatai, it was still a family mobilization. Only my father can't attend because of work, and his place is given to another little man, that is, a young man. He was really young at that time, about five years old. Of course, this is the first time in his life to climb the Great Wall. I said to him, "It was very good for you to climb the Great Wall for the first time and go to Simatai."

When I said this to him, there was some encouragement and some jealousy.

Different from the previous two times, the Jingcheng Expressway was already open to traffic, so it was much faster to drive from downtown to Simatai. Jingcheng Expressway has a special exit for Simatai. From there, you have to pass through Simatai Village, but it's only three or four kilometers to the Great Wall, which is very convenient.

This is an autumn tour. The vegetation around Simatai Reservoir has been completely dyed, but the scenery is moving. However, it is definitely not a good choice to see Hongye coming to Simatai. The mountains here are still bare, with granite cliffs. Generally, some vegetation is also a low shrub, which looks dusty from a distance. This mountain is a part of the Yanshan Mountains, and its main peak, Wuling Peak, is less than 20 kilometers away.

This time, as a tour guide, I responsibly led everyone to the eastern section, believing that they are peers. Tong Tong also did well, walking in front of us all the way, standing in the distance from time to time to urge us, I was sweating and panting from East 2 to East 4.

After lunch in the open-air observation tower of East 4, we headed for a higher place, where we had to pass a high and steep stone road, and we needed both hands and feet to climb it. One side of the stone road was a unilateral wall.

The so-called unilateral wall is because the ridge is narrow and steep, and there is no room for building a wide wall. So ancient craftsmen took advantage of the trend and built a strong defensive wall on one side of the ridge. Although it is quite different from what we imagined, it is still the Great Wall, a part of the form of the Great Wall, and the wisdom embodiment of the whimsy of the ancients adapting to local conditions.

Simatai Great Wall is also a model because of its diversity.

Simatai Great Wall has become a model of the Great Wall, because it combines so many different forms. Mr. Luo, an ancient architect in China and former vice president of the Great Wall Society, once praised "China Great Wall is the best in the world, and Simatai Great Wall is the best in the world". 1987, Simatai Great Wall was identified as the original Great Wall because it was an architectural site that preserved the original appearance of the Ming Dynasty, and was included in the World Cultural Heritage List.

04

After East 5, there are basically no battlements on both sides of the Great Wall. The city wall is like a road, connecting the watchtowers that are taller than each other with the ups and downs of the mountains. Every time I walk past a building, I am exhausted. I don't want to climb the next one, but I can see another one not far away, just like hearing the horn of progress.

As long as you go back in time, you will find that the height you have accumulated can already overlook the mountains. Seen from this height, the Jinshanling Great Wall, which winds through the street, is like a blue vein and suddenly rises in the cool and undulating mountains. The mountains are endless, and the Great Wall is endless. The mountains extend to the horizon, and so does the Great Wall. This is a picture with a magnificent prospect. Because of the Youlong-like winding of the Great Wall, the unsightly mountains become smart and magnificent.

I'm thinking, if there is such a painting, should we give it a name, Jiangshan!

Tong Tong was tired, but he persisted. He is more interested in the gold medal hanging on the stall next to the enemy building. I said he can get it if he climbs to the highest level. The highest point of this trip is Baiyun Tower, followed by Wanghai Tower. Although it has also improved, the terrain has become flatter.

At Wanghailou, we held a small ceremony to award the five-year-old boy a gold medal for climbing the Great Wall. Bo and grandma applauded warmly. Tong Tong was shy and said he should get a silver medal at most. He said that his father should win a gold medal. Bo said mischievously, "I have no money at home, so I can't buy a gold medal for my father, and there is no silver medal here." Let's win the gold medal together. Come on, kid, you are great. "

Then the three of them went down the mountain, and I continued to climb higher east 12. The road is not easy to walk. The original Great Wall has collapsed into a pile of rubble, so I can only climb up from pieces of rubble. East 12, also known as the general building, used to be not far away. There is a platform in a higher place, which is the easternmost point that tourists can legally reach.

It seems that I can go to East 13 when I come back next time, but I can't even go there this time. A security guard stopped me, saying that the Great Wall in front of me was too dangerous, and earnestly advised everyone to go back. They say that the leader is watching at the foot of the mountain, and a person will deduct his salary in the past. Well, then I won't bother, so be it.

The Great Wall is not afraid of being blocked by security guards, and continues to move forward along the steep cliff. Not far ahead, the Great Wall suddenly rose and climbed the Andromeda Tower. The wall that rises suddenly is called a ladder, with an altitude of 100 m and a slope of 85 degrees. The thrilling photography I first saw was taken here.

Ok, three trips to Simatai Great Wall are enough. On the way back to Beijing, I thought, if I come by myself, should I spend the night and climb the Jinshanling Great Wall the next day?

Maybe it should be, but when I saw my classmate who had fallen asleep in the back seat in the rearview mirror, I didn't think the choice was important. Jinshanling, I will climb up with my colleagues.

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I'm Yunxing Notebook, and I'm here to create my own "cultural journey". Come on a trip with a sense of words!