Structure
The pass of Shanhaiguan is a square, with a perimeter of around 4 kilometers long. The walls reach a height of 14 meters, and are 7 meters thick. The east, south and north sides are surrounded by a deep, wide moat. There are drawbridges over the moat. In the middle of the pass stands a tall bell tower.
All four sides of Shanhaiguan had a gate: Zhendong (East), Ying'en (West), Wangyang (South), and Weiyuan (North). Due to disrepair over the centuries, only Zhendong gate still remains today. Zhendong Gate is the most important gate in Shanhaiguan due to its position, which faces outside the pass. Written on a board that hangs above the gate is an alternate name of Shanhai Pass, "First Pass Under the Heaven" (天下第一关). This should not be confused with the "First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven" (天下第一雄关), a different pass located on the west end of the Great Wall.
Read more about this topic: Shanhai Pass
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