The Overhanging Great Wall, also known as Xuanbi Great Wall, lies around 8 kilometers north of Jiayuguan Fort in Gansu Province. Built in 1539 during the Ming Dynasty, it serves as the northern defensive extension of Jiayuguan’s military defense system, guarding the vital Shiguan Gorge on the ancient Silk Road.
Constructed from local gravel and rammed loess, the wall climbs up the steep ridge of Black Mountain at an incline of nearly 45 degrees. Seen from afar, it resembles a giant dragon hanging over the cliff, hence its name. Praised as the “Badaling of the West”, the preserved section stretches 750 meters with hundreds of steep stone steps leading to mountain-top watchtowers.
Climb to the summit and you will enjoy a sweeping view of the boundless Gobi Desert, snow-capped Qilian Mountains and Jiayuguan Fort in the distance. Far less crowded than famous Great Wall sections in northern China, it carries a unique desolate charm of northwest frontier land. If you are tracing Silk Road history and exploring the western end of the Great Wall, the Overhanging Great Wall deserves a spot on your travel list.
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