The DaZhenYu Scenic Area Development Project
Yushi Tower （Imperial Censor Tower) and Yushi Tower (Jade Tower)
The two watchtowers have names that sound similar but
have entirely different meanings in Chinese. One is the
Imperial Censor Tower, while the other is the Jade Tower.
Yushi Tower (Imperial Censor Tower) is a famous watchtower
located on the Great Wall within the Dazhenyu, officially
designated as Tower No. 106. This tower is the highest in
elevation and the largest in size among the towers in this
section of the Great Wall. Originally, the tower had two floors.
On the ground floor, there is a stone stele from the year 1580
(the eighth year of the Wanli reign in the Ming Dynasty).
According to the inscription on the stele, several "Yushi"
(imperial censors) commanded the construction of this section
of the Great Wall. As a result, the county annals and local
people refer to this stele as the "Yushi Stele" and the tower as
"Yushi Tower." The stele inscription is in regular script with
284 characters carved in relief.
Historical records indicate that the famous Ming Dynasty general, Qi Jiguang, supervised the construction of the Great Wall and inspected and stayed at this watchtower. Local legend says that this tower was built for Qi Jiguang's long-term border defense. Not far from Yushi Tower is "Yushi Tower," which is said to have been built by a female general under Qi Jiguang's command, or according to another legend, by Qi Jiguang for his family. The Yushi Stele has significant historical and cultural value and is of great importance
for the restoration of the Great Wall.
Legend of the Jade Tower
The Jade Tower is a famous watchtower in the Dazhenyu section of the Great Wall. It is said that its building materials contain jade, hence its name. This watchtower not only played an important role in defense but also symbolizes the resilience and purity of the Great Wall. According to legend, the Jade Tower once housed a large piece of jade, which was believed to have magical powers to ward off evil spirits and protect the border.
The Legend of the Ming Tombs, Kangkangtuo, and Langwo
It is said that there is a connection between the Thirteen Ming Tombs in Changping and Bohai Village in Huairou.
According to legend, after Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he decided to build grand and magnificent tombs to glorify the achievements of past Ming emperors. He looked north and exclaimed, "What a great place!" The terrain was flat and expansive, and the mountains to the north formed a beautiful shape, resembling a phoenix spreading its wings, surrounding the entire northern part of the village. The ministers then went into the village to inquire and gather information from the villagers.
The villagers explained that the mountain to the east was called "Da Kangkangtuo" and the one to the west was called "Xiao Kangkangtuo." Hearing this, the ministers were quite pleased. They believed that building the imperial tombs here would be beneficial for the long-lasting prosperity of the royal family. This was because the surname of the Ming emperors, Zhu, sounded like the word for pig in Chinese, and "Kangkangtuo," which is a place abundant with bran, was considered a never-ending supply of food for pigs (Zhu).
However, the villagers also mentioned that in the large ditch to the north of the village, there were two small ditches, one called "Xiao Langwo" (Small Wolf Den) and the other called "Da Langwo" (Big Wolf Den). Upon hearing this, the ministers' previously joyful expressions faded instantly. They thought, how could pigs (Zhu) live peacefully in front of wolf dens? Finally, they inquired about the names of the two neighboring villages. The village to the east was called "Taoyu" (Peach Valley), and the one to the west was called "Shayu" (Sand Valley). Interpreted literally, this meant "escape to the east" and "kill to the west," which they believed would severely hinder the peace of the Zhu emperors. Consequently, the ministers abandoned the idea of building the imperial tombs in this village and went elsewhere to find a suitable site. Eventually, they chose the current location of the Thirteen Ming Tombs.