Guan Yu was once one of the important passes in the Central Plains and the only way to the Northeast. In the Ming Dynasty, Guan Yu was renamed Shanhaiguan, which became the starting point of the Great Wall.
Guan Yu's name comes from the elm tree in the ancient Yellow River valley. Elm is one of the commonly used building materials in ancient times, so the Elm Pavilion is likely to be a pass with elm as the main material. Historically, Guan Yu has always been the traffic artery between the Central Plains Dynasty and the Northeast, and it is also a battleground for military strategists. According to historical records, around 2000 BC, the ancestors of the Shang Dynasty had already set up a pass here. Later, with the evolution of history, Guan Yu's name and position changed.
Besides being a traffic artery and a military fortress, Guan Yu was once a prosperous commercial city in history. In Ming Dynasty, Guan Yu became the trade center between Northeast China and Central Plains, where a large number of commodities were traded, which promoted the development of local economy. At the same time, Guan Yu is also an important place for cultural exchange, where Central Plains culture, Northeast culture and various foreign cultures blend with each other.
Today, Guan Yu has become one of the representatives of historical and cultural heritage. A large number of ancient relics and cultural relics have been discovered in Guan Yu area. These precious cultural heritages provide important information for us to understand ancient society and culture. At the same time, Guan Yu is also one of the tourist attractions, attracting a large number of tourists every year.
The cultural heritage of Guan Yu today;
1. Shanhaiguan Ancient City: Located at 15km northeast of Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province, it is one of the northeast passes of the Ming Great Wall and the starting point of the eastern end of the Wan Li Great Wall. The ancient city of Shanhaiguan is a comprehensive tourist attraction integrating natural scenery, human landscape, history and culture, entertainment and leisure, and is known as the first pass in the world.
2. Old faucet: located at the northeast of Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province 15km, where the Great Wall of Wan Li enters the sea. The old dragon head is high and steep, which was built by Qi Jiguang, the commander of Jizhen Town in Ming Dynasty. It is another important part of the Great Wall of Ming Dynasty.
3. Meng Jiangnv Temple: Located in the north of Wangfu Shi Cun, 6.5km east of Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province, it was built in the Song Dynasty and is a shrine dedicated to Meng Jiangnv. There are scenic spots such as Meng Jiangnu Temple, Zhenlie Temple and White Floating Map in the temple.
4. Jiaoshan Great Wall: Located at 15km north of Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province, it is an important part of Wan Li Great Wall. Jiao Shan Great Wall, known as the first mountain of Wan Li Great Wall, is the best preserved section of the Great Wall in Ming Dynasty.
5. Jiumenkou Great Wall: Located in Suizhong County, Huludao City, Liaoning Province, it is one of the important passes of the Ming Great Wall. The Jiumenkou Great Wall is1.704m long, which is the longest water Great Wall in China, and its wall twists and turns along the mountain.