Construction in the 16th century also included fortifications between Beijing and the ocean. Shanhaiguan (literally translated as mountain sea barrier), a fortress famous for its arched gate with the inscription `First Pass under Heaven,' is on the Manchurian border about 260 miles east of Beijing.
Shanhaiguan was built on the ruins of a Northern Qi fortification in the late 1300s. The first fort was started in 1382 and, in 1488 and 1505, walls were built at 170 strategic spots. Like Jiayuguan and Zhuyongguan, the fortifications that have survived until today were not erected until the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty. The complex was extended in 1565 and 1584. In 1571, Shanhaiguan was separated from the Jizhou command and made independent.
