Stretching across Liaoning Province, the Great Wall continues its way west to Hebei Province, where it is very well preserved. This part of the wall includes many famous spots, such as Shanhaiguan Pass, Laolongtou Great Wall, Jiaoshan Great Wall, Jinshanling Great Wall , Xifengkou Gateway, Panjiakou Gateway, Zijingguan Pass, Qingshankou Gateway and the Wulonggou Great Wall.

Located to the northeast of Qinhuangdao city in Hebei Province, Shanhaiguan Pass -- which gained notoriety as the "First Pass of the Great Wall" -- leans against the mountains and is skirted by the Bohai Gulf. The pass straddles the key path linking Northeast China with the Central Plains. Four km east of the Shanhaiguan Pass is the Laolongtou ("Old Dragon's Head") Great Wall where the Great Wall meets the sea. The Jiaoshan Great Wall, soaring to a height of 519 meters, is located 3 km north of the Shanhaiguan Pass. It is known as the "Number One Mountain of the 10,000-li Great Wall."

Traveling west from Shanhaiguan Pass is Qianxi County, where the Qingshankou Gateway is situated. And to the northwest of Qingshankou Gateway is Xifengkou Gateway, an important stronghold west of the Shanhaiguan Pass. Nearby is the Panjiakou Gateway, where the Great Wall enters the Panjiakou reservoir from a ridge on its eastern banks.

Having a splendid halt under the water, the wall starts again on the east bank of the reservoir to continue its journey.

 Shanhaiguan Pass

Shanhaiguan is a small, sleepy port town in the northern section of the Bohai Gulf that serves as a bridge between Northeast China and Northern China. Shanhaiguan Pass, located 15 km from the tourist city of Qinhuangdao, got its name due to its location between the Yanshan Mountains and the Bohai Sea. Built in 583, it was renovated throughout various dynasties until it was transformed into a formidable military stronghold during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). As the strategic passage point between the North and Northeast China, it has been a point of contention for military strategists since ancient times. It is also considered as the first pass of the Great Wall and key to defending two ancient capitals -- Beijing in the East and Chang'an (present-day Xi'an ) in the West. Shanhaiguan Pass is a national tourist attraction and the first strategic pass at the eastern end of the Great Wall.

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