地下長城 / 地下长城

Dìxià Chángchéng

Useful Information

Location:	Yongqing County, Xiong County, Bazhou City, Langfang City, Hebei Province. (38.9890061, 116.1084775)
Open:	All year daily 8-18. [2025]
Fee:	Adults CNY 3. [2025]
Classification:	Dìxià Chángchéng
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:	L=90,000 m, AR=1,600 km².
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Dìxià Chángchéng, Yongqing County, Xiong County, Bazhou City, Langfang City, Hebei Province, Tel: +86-.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1948	rediscovered during a flood, when the water drained through the tunnels.
1951	underground fortress discovered, by the cave in of a house.
1964	other part rediscovered when a well was dug.
1988	archaeological excavations in the tunnels.
15-JUL-1993	declared a key cultural relics protection unit in Hebei Province by the Hebei Provincial People’s Government.
25-MAY-2006	listed as national protected cultural relic.
2006	opened to the public.

Description

The 地下長城 aka 地下长城 (Dìxià Chángchéng, Underground Great Wall) is a huge artificial tunnel system which was created during the Song Dynasty (960-1127) under General Yang Ye to hide and store troops and supplies. At this time the Song and Liao states were at war. Liao occupied part of the Song state, and the Song built a military defense line, which was expanded during a 200-year-long period of war. Unlike the normal Great Wall it was forgotten over time and not accessible any more. It was rediscovered in 1948, when a great flood happening in Yongqing village, Hebei province, was about to destroy the whole village, when it was stopped with a thunderous noise. The course of the flood was changed, the water level sank, as the water was flowing into an underground passage. Later research revealed the tunnel system, which drained the flood. In 1951 an underground cave some 150 m² in size was discovered, after a house 2.5 km from Yongqing had caved in. Dozens of small doors in this cavern were opening to a passageway each. Ancient war passages were found, spreading throughout Yongqing County, covering an area of some 300 square kilometers. But China had other problems and the discoveries were not researched. Finally, the archaeological excavation started in 1988. Again it took decades, and finally in 2008 it was listed as monument of the People’s Republic of China (6-14) with the name 边关地道遗址 (Bianguan didao yizhi, Frontier Tunnel Ruins). It became also known as 宋辽边关地道遗址 (Song-Liao Border Tunnel Ruins) of shorter 边关地道遗址 (Border tunnel ruins).

The underground bulwark is of enormous size, 90 km of tunnels which cover an area 65 km from east to west, and 25 km from north to south, which is an area of 1,600 m². Most of it is a long tunnel along the border, similar to the Great Wall, that is why it is called Underground Great Wall It consists of a wide range of military facilities, camouflaged exits, covers, and locking gates. A frontier pass between the rivalling states was fortified by an underground fortress. But it also has living necessities, with ventilation holes, and lamp stands integrated into the walls. There were brick beds, with some basic comfort, as they could be heated during winter.

The sites which are open to the public are actually two different small sections of the tunnels. One is located in Qigang Village, Shuangtang Township, Xiong County. It was discovered in 1964 when a well was dug. The other is located south of Xingcun Village, Xiaobucun Township, Xiong County. Both are only tiny parts of the underground structure. The size of more than 5,000 km is quite impressive. However, not all tunnels are connected, actually they stretch approximately 65 kilometers east to west and 25 kilometers north to south. The structure is complex, whith hidden troop caves, meeting halls, and maze-like passages. The ceiling is about 4 meters below the ground, and the interior varies in height and width, containing areas for placing lamps, storing items, and ventilation holes. The passages have obvious military purposes, which is proven by the existence of trapdoors and lookout tunnels.