Ningxia occupies a very strategic position and has therefore been a frontier stronghold since the ancient times. Throughout Chinese history, the Warring States, Qin, Han, Sui, Jin and Ming dynasties all built great walls in Ningxia, leaving countless great wall sites of all architectural styles. Thus, Ningxia is acclaimed to be 'the Natural Museum of China Great Wall'. The Great Wall in Ningxia totaled more than 1,500 km (932 miles) by the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), and were widely distributed with watch towers, fortresses, platforms and many other supporting facilities. When arriving at the Liupanshan Mountain of Ningxia, Chairman Mao, after gazing upon the imposing great walls, composed the following immortal verse: 'He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man'. However, these precious heritage sites are slowly under destruction due to natural and artificial factors.
The majority parts of the Great Wall relics in Ningxia are the walls of the Qin State in the Warring States Period (476 - 221BC) and those of the Ming Dynasty. The great wall of the Qin State in the Warring States Period, the oldest great wall in Ningxia and in China, spreads roughly 200 km (124 miles). It begins in Jingning County of Gansu Province, enters Ningxia from southern Xiji County, then goes northeast through Guyuan County, again turns to the southeast, and finally ends at Zhenyuan County of Gansu. Throughout over 2,000 years’ wind, rain and man-made damage, the original yellow-earth-rammed walls have been reduced to ruins in places, but the outline still remains.
The Ming Dynasty Great Wall relics in Ningxia are around 400 km long (249 miles) in total, and are mainly made up of four sections: the western, the northern, the eastern and Guyuan Neibianqiang (inner side wall). The Western Great Wall starts from Jingyuan County of Gansu, enters Ningxia from Zhongwei City, and then travels northeastward to the Helan Mountain. The Northern Great Wall is located in the north of Ningxia Hui Autonomous region, between the Helan Mountain and the Yellow River. The Eastern Great Wall begins at Lingwu County of Ningxia, via Yanchi City, and adjoins the great wall in Dingbian County of Shaanxi Province. Guyuan Neibianqiang, built on the walls of the Qin State in the Warring States Period, is located in the north of Guyuan County.
Of all the Ming Dynasty great walls in Ningxia, Sanguankou (Three Passes), the most well-known pass in Ningxia, are still well-preserved. It is located at the border between Ningxia and Inner Mongolia, in the south of the Helan Mountain and about 40 km (25 miles) west of Yinchuan City. Just as the name implies, Sanguankou consists of three passes, at a distance of about 2.5 km (1.6 miles) in between. The first pass, the chief pass of the three, is located at an open mountain area and is connected with the great wall in the north and south. The second pass only consists of a rammed earth platform on the top of the mountain to the south of the pass. The third pass occupies a highly strategic position, confined by cliffs on both sides.
Compared to the magnificent Badaling, Shanhaiguan and Jiayuguan, the great wall in Ningxia has been seriously destroyed because of long history and little protection. Living through over 2,000 years’ history, the great wall built by Qinshihuang near Shanpotou of Zhongwei City on the southern bank of the Yellow River has been in ruins completely. Large areas of collapsed wall have also occurred on the Ming Dynasty Great Wall in Shizuishan City along the Helanshan Mountain. However, the protection of the Ningxia Great Wall is still in trouble, since the walls are mostly located in the Gobi desert or on the high mountains, and are extremely far-ranging and remote.
