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In 1995 many people would walk across the 266.5 metre, 11 span bridge to villages on the western banks of the river or beyond. Originating from 1189, following flood damage it was reconstructed in 1698 during the Qing Dynasty reign of Emperor Kangxi. With balustrades topped by hundreds of unique stone carved lions it is also associated with the legendary Marco Polo. In his travel writings he proclaimed 'Over the river there is a very fine stone bridge, so fine indeed, that it has very few equals in the world.'

Accessed from the eastern end of the bridge, Wanping Fortress (wanping cheng) was amazing to visit. A compact completely wall-enclosed Ming-era town it was established between 1638 and 1640 to strategically protect Beijing from western incursions. A half-square in shape, I was able then to walk along its walls looking down across a maze of small courtyard homes. They were often more in keeping with what I would see in countryside parts of nearby Hebei than in the urban Beijing I had travelled out through.

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