Vast Chinese Walls Series: Earliest Wall

Follow goat herd up slick Yin Mountain spall

Espy hidden Qin, your earliest wall

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Our first Vast Wall experience was at the oldest and best-preserved section of stone Great Wall in China. This section of wall is located in Inner Mongolia, less than two hours north Baotou City. It was described in an early, eye-witness account during the 1st Century BCE by none other than China’s foremost ancient historian, Sima Qian. Lying hidden in the Yin Mountains, this Wall was in active use between 300 BCE and the 2nd century CE.

After parking our van on the side of a nondescript, two-lane road in the middle of nowhere, we followed a herd of bleating goats up a rising, seasonally-dry, washed out gully filled in places with slippery scree. We then climbed narrow and uneven goat trails strewn with more scree, and clambered across rocky and grassy slopes to advance to this ancient wall stretching several kilometers along mountain edges overlooking the Mongolian plain.

The sun beat down from a clear sky. A cooling breeze tickled our sweating brows. Brown, dusty hilltops and valleys filled the foreground to the horizon (plus two wind turbines far away). We walked on and along this defensive barrier built to discourage and repel mounted invaders. I placed my hands on this Wall. I sat on this Wall. I felt honored to be here with this Wall. At the time, I thought the climb was a workout and going back down even tougher. Twelve days later, I was wishing for such a simple hike!