Plotting the Great Wall Trivia Quiz

Answer: Yumen Pass

Yumen Pass is the westernmost point in this quiz, and our starting point as we head east towards the Pacific. Formerly a site to be passed through on the old Silk Road, Yumen Pass is no longer a significant spot on the Great Wall because of its ruined state and the centuries of disconnection with the wall proper. That said, it's an interesting cultural waypoint; a former part of the Dunhuang extension of the wall, it was home to a number of small castles and a frontier trading post.

It also acted as a stronghold for Chinese soldiers.

Answer: Jiayu Pass

Jiayuguan is one of the best-preserved spots on the Great Wall partly because, despite being near Jiayuguan City, it gets far from the amount of foot traffic that sites further east do. Nonetheless, this pass is one of the most famous on the wall because of its spot on what was the western border of Ancient China, nestled between hills on the Silk Road trading route. Built up more than other sections out of fear of Mongol invasion, the fortress at Jiayuguan was fairly remote, separated from the more populated regions of China.

Many who went there to stand guard traveled thousands of kilometres to do so.

Answer: Yanmen Pass

West of Beijing by about five hundred kilometres, Yanmen Pass has seen battle as recently as the Second World War (in the Chinese theater) when the Imperial Japanese Army stormed this section of the wall during the two-month-long Battle of Xinkou. Unsurprisingly, the Wall was a strong chokehold, and the Chinese brought down many of the Japanese troops to protect the region. Because of this and the region's battles more than two thousand years earlier, the site became one of the AAAAA Tourist Attractions of China in 2017.

Answer: Dajingmen

Dajingmen, found about two hundred kilometres northwest of Beijing, is a part of the wall that follows along the mountains, stretching along what was originally the border with Mongolia to the north. Though a sign on the gate proper reads 'magnificent rivers and mountains', the name Dajingmen actually means 'the gate standing on the border'. Now, this part of the wall stands near Zhangjiakou in the province of Hebei and stands as one of the most important passes on the Northern Tea Road.

Answer: Badaling

Built in the Ming Dynasty, the portion of the Great Wall known as Badaling was constructed under one hundred miles from Beijing's city center and served as one of the most important military checkpoints en route to what was then the Chinese capital. Due to the historical significance of the site, its proximity to Beijing, and the quality of the site's restoration, Badaling is often considered the best place to access the wall for visitors.

Answer: The Cloud Platform

Juyongguan, which also includes Badaling several kilometers away, is part of the largest and most-visited stretch of the Great Wall, but while Badaling is part of its own reach of the structure, the Cloud Platform is known for being a part of Juyong Pass.

This arched tower made of white marble is covered with Buddhist inscriptions was built in the 14th century AD and has since been both a waypoint for travelers heading in and out of Beijing and a chokepoint for approaching armies.

Answer: The Beijing Knot

The Beijing Knot, standing just over fifty kilometers from Central Beijing, is a part of the wall known for being a meeting point for three different stretches of the landmark. Coming from the west (and Juyong Pass), the wall splits back to the northwest towards Zhangjiakou and it also continues to the east toward the Pacific Ocean, continuing to track through the country. Jiankou, reached by climbing up a mountain, is considered one of the most scenic sites on the wall because of its vantage point.

Answer: Huanglouyuan

Huanglouyuan, located about seventy kilometers to the northeast of Beijing, is the highest point on the great wall though it's not often visited by tourists; the highest frequented part of the wall would be Badaling. That said, Huanglouyuan continues the wall's stretch eastward from Beijing as it heads towards the sea and it leads to Mutianyu and Gubeikou further down the line.

Answer: Shanhai Pass

While many don't think about how far the wall really stretches, it has to end somewhere (or, at least, it needs to seem that way). Shanhai Pass was a critical pass for those on the eastern end of the wall, and built in the late 14th century as Shanhaiguan it was considered a necessary addition to the wall for military purposes (and would see battle in the 17th century). Nowadays, it's known by tourists as the point at which the wall stretches into the Bohai Sea.

As if it weren't difficult enough to pass around the wall (through the waters off the edge), the main gates are also surrounded by moats.

Answer: Hushan

While the wall certainly does stretch into the sea at Shanhai Pass and, for the most part, end there, Hushan (at Tiger Mountain) is actually the easternmost reach of the Great Wall of China, stretching northeast to the North Korean border on the Yalu River.

While the wall doesn't stretch that far in the modern era, historians expect the wall to have wound its way through Liaoning province to the city of Dandong, southeast of Shenyang. The site opened to tourists in the early 1990s.