Laoniuwan, where the Great Wall meets the Yellow River

By Zhang Dongya

Laoniuwan Valley is considered one of the most beautiful valleys in the country because it is where China’s two greatest symbols – the Great Wall and the Yellow River – converge. At certain vantage points, people can see the Wall reflected on the river’s surface.

Laoniuwan, which straddles Shanxi province and Inner Mongolia, was turned into a fortress in 1467 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Ancient structures built during Ming, and the succeeding Qing (1644-1911), still dot the landscape where locals have also turned caves into homes.

Photos by Sky