The Ancient Cliff House (Guyaju), the biggest maze of China, was a significant discovery relating to the study of ancient Chinese people who inhabited the north of the country. However, no precise record of it has ever been found, so no one knows its exact origins. On each side of the precipitous cliffs, adjacent stone houses, rectangular and square, large and small, were built. The houses vary in size, from over 20 square meters (24 square yards) to 3-4 square meters (4.5 square yards). About 92 kilometers (57 miles) from Beijing, the house was hewn from the craggy cliffs overlooking Zhangshanying Town, Yanqing County. The intriguing house complex has more than 110 stone rooms, and is the largest cliff residence ever discovered in China. From the abundant relics, tourists can learn the history, lifestyle and folk customs of these special ancient people of northern China.

On each side of the precipitous cliffs, adjacent stone houses, rectangular and square, large and small, were built. The houses vary in size, from over 20 square meters (24 square yards) to 3-4 square meters (4.5 square yards). Some are interlinked perpendicularly, while some are interconnected horizontally. Some have a single room, while some have 2-3 connecting rooms. Stone steps, and stone ladders are used to connect the storeys of an entire cliff house. Stone lamp-stands, stone hearths, closets, and mangers in the caves, the windows and gates all remain as traces of their mysterious ancient inhabitants. Some houses were built with kangs, a kind of bed which can be heated from below on cold days.

Travel Tip:

Take 919 from Deshengmen (德胜门) to Yanqing Bus Station (延庆汽车站), and transfer to No.920 to Zhangshanying Town (张山营镇), then you could walk to the Ancient Cliff House (古崖居).