Recommended Attractions near the Wave Valley

Located a hundred li north of Jingbian County amid the Mu Us Desert, Tongwan City is the ruined capital of the Great Xia Kingdom founded by Helian Bobo of the Tiefu Xiongnu tribe during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It is commonly known as White City. By the Song Dynasty, the surrounding area was swallowed by desert, leaving the city in ruins.

As the only remaining Xiongnu imperial city ruins in Chinese history, it later became a settlement for northern ethnic groups including the Dangxiang Qiang people. A wealth of relics have been unearthed here, dating from the Han and Tang dynasties to the Tang and Song dynasties, such as bronze seals, pictorial seals, bronze Buddha statues, stone carvings, building materials and daily utensils.

Stretching alongside the road from Jingbian to the Wave Valley for over ten kilometers, the Ming Great Wall runs across the whole territory of Yulin. It was constructed within three months by 40,000 soldiers led by Yu Zijun, Censor-in-Chief and Governor of Yansui Garrison during the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty.

The wall starts at Qingshuiying (northeast of present-day Fugu County, Shaanxi) in the east and ends at Huamachi (northeast of present-day Yanchi County, Ningxia) in the west, with a total length of 880 kilometers. Within Yulin, it extends more than 100 kilometers from Gaojiabao Border Wall in Shenmu County in the east through Jian'an Fort, Shuangshan Fort, Changle Fort and Baoning Fort, and exits at Boluo Fort in Hengshan County in the west. Over 210 beacon towers stand along this section.

Location: Jingbian County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province Ticket: Free admission

Perched on a strategic vantage point, Zhenbei Platform guards the vital thoroughfare between the north and the south, like a giant lock securing the frontier pass. It ranks among the largest existing fortresses along the ancient Great Wall.

Built in the Ming Dynasty, it is hailed as the No.1 Platform on the Great Wall. Serving as a watchtower and a key stronghold in the middle section of the Ming Great Wall defense system, it offers panoramic views of the frontier landscape for dozens of miles around from its top — deserts, gobi, grasslands, the Yellow River and the Three-North Shelterbelt. Red Stone Gorge is also visible nearby.

Zhenbei Platform is one of the most grand and imposing structures among the Ming Great Wall relics. Together with Shanhaiguan Pass in the east and Jiayuguan Pass in the west, it is known as one of the Three Great Wonders of the Great Wall.

Location: Red Hill, 4 kilometers north of downtown Yulin, Shaanxi Province Ticket: 20 yuan per person

The gorge is about 350 meters long. Its eastern cliff stands 11.5 meters high and the western cliff 13 meters high, facing each other in towering grandeur. The rushing Yuxi River runs through the gorge towards the west of the city. Lush weeping willows line both banks, creating a picturesque scenery.

Since ancient times, scholars and officers stationed in Yulin loved to leave inscriptions here to express their lofty aspirations for the frontier. Hence, Red Stone Gorge is also a treasure trove of calligraphy art along the Great Wall. It boasts the largest cluster of cliff carvings in Shaanxi. The inscriptions fully reflect Yulin’s historical status as one of the Nine Major Frontier Garrisons. Visitors can also appreciate grotto art dating back to the Song and Yuan dynasties.

If you stay until dusk, you will witness the stunning Sunset over Red Hill: the gorge glows with gorgeous hues just like rosy clouds under the setting sun.

Location: 3 kilometers north of downtown Yulin, 5 kilometers from the city center Ticket: 20 yuan per person