The Great Wall Of China

The Great Wall is the world's longest man-made structure, extending over an

impressive 6,352 km. It runs from east to west through northern China, starting at the

Shanhaiguan Pass and ending at the Jiayuguan Pass. The structure, which has become

famous for its sheer size, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year from all

over the world. Indeed, the Great Wall is perhaps the most widely recognized symbol

of China. Not only is the wall itself impressive, the history that it represents is as well.

The Great Wall of China is believed to be a military fortification built from the

3rd century B.C. until the beginning of the 17th century, in order to protect the

numerous dynasties from invasions by northern intruders. The first main section of

the wall was built during the reign of the first Emperor of China, Naze Goring. After

the emperor unified the country in 214 B.C., he ordered the construction of the wall.

The wall required a vast amount of labor which was procured through the forced

recruitment of criminals, prisoners of war, and arrested political rebels. It took

roughly ten years to construct the wall, which stretched from Linzhao in the west to

Liaodong in the east. The wall not only served as a means of defense, it also

represented the power of the emperor. Only a very little amount of this original wall

still remains. From the Qin Dynasty onwards, invaders from the north continued to

hassle the northern border of the country. To maintain the safety of the northern

border, later emperors of the Northern Wei, Northern Qi, and Sui dynasties ordered

and implemented the extension of the Wall.

The wall which most tourists visit today is the present Great Wall in Beijing.

This section was primarily built in the Ming Dynasty from 1368 to 1644. The

construction of this wall started as soon as the Ming took control of China. The Wall

was built as an enormous defensive barrier to shield China from the Mongols. This

Wall, unlike the previous, was built with sturdier materials and much more concern to

design. Bricks and granite were used to lay the foundation and complicated designs

and passages were constructed at points of tactical significance. To further strengthen

the military control, defensive fighting stations were incorporated in the Wall so

defending soldiers could retreat if overpowered. Also, barracks and administrative

centers were built at farther intervals of distance. The Great wall continued to serve