What Is The Great Wall Of China And Why Was It Built?

Posted On October 28, 2020 / Written by yelang

Most travel enthusiasts have the Great Wall of China on the list of places they’d like to visit, and for a good reason. You could be planning to travel to the Great Wall of China too, but before you do, how about a number of details about the history and the reason for the popularity of the Great Wall of China?

What Is The History About The Great Wall of China?

The Great Wall of China is one of the most famous tourist attractions sites in China. It is an ancient series of walls, as well as fortification that covers a total length of up to 13,000 miles. The Great Wall of China is located in the northern region of China, and it is, without doubt, the most recognizable symbol of China’s culture and history. This Great Wall represents a long and vivid Chinese history.

This Great Wall of China had it is designed first conceived by Emperor Qin Shi Huang back in the 3rd BC. The wall’s design was conceived as a way to prevent the incursions of the barbarian nomads. The Great Wall is known worldwide, with its best-preserved sections being the part of the Great Wall that was built from the 14th to the 17th Century AD, specifically during the Ming Dynasty. While the Great Wall never prevented the invaders effectively, it’s become a powerful symbol of the enduring strength of the Chinese civilizations.

The Qin Dynasty Construction

While the being of the construction of the Great Wall is traced back to the 5th Century, it’s notable that most of the earlier fortification forming part of the wall date back to a few hundreds of years earlier, specifically when China was still divided into many kingdoms. It is believed that this happened during the Warring States period.

Then in 220 B.C., emperor Qin Shi Huang, who was the first emperor of unified China under the Qin Dynasty, ordered the removal of the earlier wall fortifications set up between the individual states. Emperor Qin Shi Huang also ordered the joining of a number of the walls that existed on the northern border, and they are joining into a single wall system that would eventually result in extending of the wall to at least 10,000 li (note that a li is about 1/3 of a mile), for China’s protection from any attacks from the North.

The construction of the Wan Li Chang Cheng, also called the 10,000 Li-Long Wall is historically one of the most ambitious constructions/ building projects that were ever undertaken but not just by the Chinese civilization, but generally in any civilization to ever come to be in existence. To ensure the success of this huge undertaking, the famous Chinese General called Meng Tian kick-started a massive army of convicts, soldiers, as well as commoners to work on this project.

The wall’s construction was done by use of earth and stone, and it stretched for miles, from the China Sea Port at Shanhaiguan to the west in Gansu province, over 3,000 miles apart. During the construction, there were some strategic areas where the wall sections were overlapped for maximum security north of Beijing. This overlapping was done on the Badaling stretch, and it was later on restored, specifically during the Ming Dynasty.

Following the investment made into the construction of the wall, this wall grew from a mere 15ft to 50ft for the base. The Great Wall then rose an additional 15-30ft high before it was topped by ramparts to reach heights of 12ft or higher in some places. Guard towers were then distributed throughout the wall at specific intervals.

Another important part of history to note is that following the order to have the wall constructed by Emperor Qin Shi Huang around 221 BC, up to 400,000 people lost their lives, and were buried in the Great Wall.

Great Wall’s Construction Over the Centuries

Following the death of Emperor Qin Shin Huang and the subsequent falling of the Qin Dynasty, most of the Great wall was in a state of disrepair, with the frontier tribes seizing control of Northern China when the Han Dynasty fell. However, the Northern Wei Dynasty was a more powerful Dynasty, and it repaired then extended this existing wall for security purposes as a defense measure against attacks from other tribes.

This was followed by the Bei Qi kingdom that existed between 550 and 577, building and repairing 900+ miles of wall. The Bei Qi dynasty was short-lived, though, and the dynasty was followed by the Sui Dynasty (581-618), followed by the Tang Dynasty. But with the rise of the Tang Dynasty and China defeating the Chinese Tujue tribe at the north, the Great Wall lost its purpose as a fortification wall.

The other dynasties that played a role in the construction and fortification of the Great Chinese Wall include the Song Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty by the Genghis Khan. And although the and the Great Wall was vital to the Mongols as a military fortification, several soldiers were assigned the construction of the wall as a way of protecting caravans and merchants who traveled on the lucrative Silk Road route.

The Ming Dynasty was also involved in the construction of the Great Wall – this dynasty played the most significant role in the construction of the wall between 1368 and 1644, and the and the Great Wall of China that exists today is pretty much the work of the Ming Dynasty.

Why was the Great Wall of China built?

The wall was built as a manifestation of the Chinese strength, and it’s also a psychological representation of the existing barrier that was maintained by the Chinses state to ensure that the foreign influences are kept off. The wall was also constructed as a way of exerting control over Chinese citizens.

The other reasons for the construction of the Great Wall include:

• Delivery of battle signals
• Conveyance of daily supplies
• A way of sending reinforcements
• A boost to the economy and for national integration between the nomadic nations and the Han people.
• The wall also protected the silk road.

Where Does The Great Wall Of China Start And End?

Largely built during the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall starts from an area near Jiayu Pass, and it ends at the Shanai Pass at Korea Bay.

Why Is The Great Wall Of China Important?

• The Great Wall of China played and continues to play a significant role in China’s cultural processes and economic development. The road also played a crucial role in safeguarding different trading routes in Chian, for example, the Silk Road, while also securing information transmission, as well as the transportation of different good in Northern China.
• It is also a symbol of the unification of the nation of China and a symbol of history and the strength of China.
• The Great Wall is also a subject of Chinese literary art
• It is a popular tourist attraction, boasting over 4 million tourists annually and some of the best adventurers and experiences.

And, there you have it – everything you need to know about the Great Wall of China.

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References

1.what is the history about the great wall of china?
Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-china/great-wall-of-china

2.Why was the Great Wall of China built?
Retrieved from https://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/facts/why-built.htm

3.where does the great wall of china start and end

4.why is the great wall of china important?
Retrieved from https://www.chinahighlights.com/greatwall/great-wall-importance.htm