Hebei Province

A somewhat anonymous region, Hebei has two great cities at its heart – Beijing and Tianjin – both of which long ago outgrew the province and struck out on their own as separate municipalities. In the south, a landscape of flatlands is spotted with heavy industry and mining towns – China at its least glamorous – which are home to the majority of the province’s seventy million inhabitants. Though most travellers pass through here on their way to or from the capital, few stop. The sparsely populated tableland to the north, rising from the Bohai Gulf, holds more promise. For most of its history this marked China’s northern frontier, and was the setting for numerous battles with invading forces; both the Mongols and the Manchus swept through, leaving their mark in the form of the Great Wall, winding across lonely ridges.

The first sections of the wall were built in the fourth century AD, along the Hebei–Shanxi border, in an effort to fortify its borders against aggressive neighbours. Two centuries later, Qin Shi Huang’s Wall of Ten Thousand Li skirted the northern borders of the province. The parts of the wall visible today, however, are the remains of the much younger and more extensive Ming-dynasty wall, begun in the fourteenth century as a deterrent against the Mongols. You can see the wall where it meets the sea at Shijiazhuang, a fortress town only a few hours by train from Beijing. If you’re in the area, don’t miss the intriguing seaside resort of Beidaihe, along the coast to the south, whose beaches host summer vacationers and dwindling numbers of Communist Party elite. Well north of the wall, the town of Chengde is the province’s most visited attraction, an imperial base set amid the wild terrain of the Hachin Mongols and conceived on a grand scale by the eighteenth-century emperor Kangxi, with temples and monuments to match. All three towns are popular spots with domestic tourists, particularly Beijingers snatching a weekend away from the capital’s bustle and stress. The Chinese like their holiday spots the way they like their restaurants – renao (literally “hot and noisy”) – but it’s easy to beat the crowds and find some great scenery.

Get large Hebei Map

the tourists to Hebei have the unequalled opportunity to view many relics that can be found in this beautiful province. Notable cities include Baoding, Cangzhou, Handan, Hengshui, Langfang and Xingtai.

Location of Hebei

Hebei completely surrounds Beijing and Tianjin municipalities. It borders Liaoning to the northeast, Inner Mongolia to the north, Shanxi to the west, Henan to the south, and Shandong to the southeast.

With Mt. Taihang, Mt. Yanshan, and Bashang Plateau on the west, north and northwest of the province, its terrain descends from northwest to southeast, intersected by basins and hills. Hebei borders Bohai Sea on the east, and the Hai He watershed and Luanhe watershed cover the central, southern and northeastern province. The biggest lake is Baiyangdian, located in Anxin County.

Climate of Hebei

Hebei enjoys the four distinct seasons with arid and windy spring, hot and rainy summer, balmy and fine autumn and dry and cold winter. The annual rainfall averages between 300-800 millimeters and the corresponding temperature ranges from 0? to 13?. So the best time to travel is supposed to be autumn enjoying it's clear and crisp climate.

Transportation in Hebei

Railways in Hebei

There are eight main stems railways in Hebei, Beijing-Guangzhou, Beijing-Kowloon, Beijing-Shanghai, Beijing-Baotou, Beijing-Harbin, Beijing-Chengde, Beijing-Yuanping, and Beijing-Tongliao which run through Hebei province and are joined by several branch lines like Datong-Qinhuangdao, and Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan railways.

Highways in Hebei

Nearly 20 national highways run through Hebei, connecting it with all major cities in China conveniently. Express highways like Beijing-Zhuhai, Beijing-Shijiazhuang, Beijing-Shenyang, Beijing-Shanghai, Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan and Xuanhua-Datong all pass through Hebei.

Airways in Hebei

Shijiazhuang Airport is an international air harbor; Flight courses from Shijiazhuang can reach Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and over 20 cities of China as well as the destinations in CIS.

Waterways in Hebei

Hebei has a convenient water transportation system. Qinhuangdao, Huanghua, and Jiangtang are major export sea ports, of which Qinhuangdao is the second largest export sea port in China, with an annual throughput close to a hundred million tons.

Travel & Sightseeing in Hebei

Hebei has brilliant tourism resources, with not only the rich historical relics but also the unique natural landscapes. The most famous Mountain Resort of Chengde used to be the largest royal summer resort of Qing Dynasty, and the tourists can also find a display of several gorgeous and glistening temples, called "Eight Outer Temples". The Mulan Paddock used to be the hunting place for the emperors and presently the most popular destination for its huge natural grassland and fresh air. Shanhaiguan, Pass is the easternmost end of the Great Wall. In Beidaihe, tourists can enjoy the sunshine, beaches, an all the fresh air.

Hebei Province boasts for having the longest, the best preserved and the highest architectural quality of the Great Wall in China. The walls of the Warring States, Qin, Han, Northern Wei, Northern Qi, Jin and Ming Dynasties are well preserved here. The wall of the Ming Dynasty, with more than 200 passes, zigzags over 1,243 miles through Hebei Province. Dozens of essential sections are famous to the world, such as the Laolongtou, Jiaoshan, Shanhaiguan Pass, Xifengkou Gateway, Zijingguan Pass and many others.

Shanhaiguan Pass holds the strategic route from north China to north-east China. Jiaoshan Mountain is the first mountain the Great Wall climbs in Hebei Province. The Laolongtou is the section where the wall meets the sea, thus it is compared to the head of this giant dragon. Xifengkou Gateway, now submerged by the construction of Panjiakou Reservoir, likewise possessed a strategically important position in history as did Zijingguan Pass where many famous battles took place. 

Beijing - the capital since the Ming Dynasty - is surrounded by Heibei. The engineers of the section of the Great Wall in this area were very selective in constructional materials and paid a great deal of attention to the wall's quality. You cannot taste the majesty and might of the wall until you come to Hebei Province. 

Great Wall in Zhangjiakou City is the highlight of the Great Wall in Hebei Province. Located in the northwestern part of the province, Zhangjiakou City is a famous historical city, a military town and a treaty port in the northern frontier. During a long period of time, it is the frontier location where the nomad civilization meets farming culture. According to the data, over 50 famous wars and historical events have taken place in Zhangjiakou City. At present, there are about 200 sites of ancient battlefields, fortresses, castles and army's offices.

Dajing Gate: It was built to hold the northern gate of the capital. It is the important line of communication between the frontier area and the inner land. It is one of the most famous passes along the Great Wall. In the past, at the interval of every 200 to 300 meters, there was a vigorous beacon tower. Today, the simple and massive gate is still the important road leading to the northern part of China. In order to protect it, Zhangjiakou City Government has made full restoration and comprehensive development to it. At present it is the provincial cultural relic protection unit and a hot summer scenic resort. In the peaceful atmosphere, the gate opens widely to welcome more business relations with various countries and districts.

Dushikou Fortress: translated as Single Stone Fortress, it is the most northern pass of Great Wall in Xuanfu Prefecture in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Located to the north of Chicheng County, it is named after a big rock standing before the pass. It is the turning point where the outer Ming Great Wall changes the direction from northwest to southeast and also one of the most dangerous passes in that time.

Hebei Province Agriculture: Hebei is one of the most important production base of wheat and it also leads grain, oil and cotton producing in China. Fruit planting, vegetable planting and animal husbandry are also well developed in this province.

Hebei Province Industry: Hebei is an important producing base of coal steel and textile industries. The outputs of coal, raw oil, electricty, steel iron all take the lead in China.

Tourist Resources of Hebei Province: Hebei is famous for its rich tourism resources. The mountain resort and outlying temples and the imperial tombs of Qing Dynasty are included in the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Beidaihe is a well-know summer resort in north China. The starting point of the Great Wall, the Shanhaiguan Pass is also in this province. Other attractions are: Zhaozhou Bridge, Longxing Temple, Luxian Temple, Xaingtangshan Grottoes and Baiyang Dian Lake.

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