great wall of china essay conclusion

The Great Wall of China Descriptive Essay

Introduction.

The Great Wall of China is a long continuous wall which was erected with the sole intention of securing the Chinese border in the northern border against intruders (Man 103). The Great Wall consists of several walls which were built over a lengthy period of time.

The construction is claimed to have began during the dynasty of Emperor Qin Shi Huangi who ruled the country in the early 200 BC to the 16 th century during the Ming dynasty.

The essay will take the form of an informative speech whose intention is to further shed light on who built the Great Wall of China, when it was built, the reason behind building it and how wide and long the wall is as well as how it has been built.

The Chinese were among the first countries to experience civilization in the world. During the civilization period, they acquired the art of building houses and other structures and this helped greatly during the construction of the Great Wall.

As early as 8 th century BC, various states such as Wei, Qin, Yan, Qi, and Zhao constructed extensive walls in an attempt to defend their territorial borders from their warring neighbors (Yamashita and Lindesay 53).

However, all these efforts were better noticed during the reign of the Qin dynasty that after conquering the states which had been opposing him, he embarked on the building of the great wall so as to connect and enclose all the states that now belonged to him and protect them from external intruders.

During the Ming Dynasty, after the Oirats had defeated the Ming army in 1449 (in what was famously referred to as the Battle of Tumu), the Great Wall idea was revived.

The Great Wall proved quite useful to the Ming Dynasty, especially towards the end of its reign because it ensured that the empire remained protected against possible invasion by the Manchu (this was around 1600).

At this time, the wall had a total length of 5,000 kilometers, starting at the Gansu Province in Linyao all the way to the Liaoning Province (Man 105). As we talk today, the great wall is estimated to stretch 4,163 miles (about 6,700 kilometers).

It starts in the Gansu Province at the Jiayuguan Pass and stretches all the way to the Hebei Province in the Shanhaiguan Pass. The wall runs through the large plains in the northern border of the country. Although people have come up with several discussions as to how the wall came to be, it is widely believed that it was the efforts emperor Qin that the wall was extensively built.

The construction formation of the Great Wall also differed at different historical periods. For example during the Qin dynasty the pass gates were not constructed using stone and the wall lacked any fortresses.

However, during the construction of the Han Greta Waal that passes through the Gobi Region, the main fortification was moats (Roland and Jan 67). A beacon tower was also constructed at intervals of 1.25 kilometers along these moats. The beacon towers were used during the time of war.

When one column was lit, this was a sign that the advancing troops were less than 500.When two columns were lit, it meant that the advancing troops were less than 3,000. By using the columns of smoke, the defenders were always aware on the magnitude of what to expect.

Laborers who took part in the construction of the wall included the common people, soldiers, and criminals (Waldron 18). Different construction materials found use during the constructions process of the wall, over the centuries. Compacted earth was used in the construction of the original Great Wall.

Local stones were then used to surround the compacted earth. In a bid to ensure that the construction costs of the wall remained down, there was extensive use of local construction materials. In the later years, bricks were used to construct the Ming wall.

Where the Great Wall passed through the Rocky Mountains, builders made use of the stones found on these mountains. However, they were forced to use rammed earth in the planes, while juniper tamarisk and sanded reeds found use in the desert.

Scientists have now revealed that the remaining section of the Great Wall in the Gansu Province, consist of several layers of rammed earth (Waldron 18).

Between 202 BC and 220AD, during the Han Dynasty period, the most popular construction materials were crude stones and earth while between 1368 and 1644, during the Ming Dynasty, bricks had substituted stone and earth as the construction material of choice, thanks to their light weight and size; it was easier to make and carry them.

From statistical records, it is estimated that some 500,000 common people and 300,000 soldiers took part in the construction process of the initial Great Wall during the reign of Emperor Qin. Over 1,000 individuals are believed to have lost their lives in the process of constructing the Great Wall during the Din Dynasty.

The construction of another section of the great wall under the Northern Qi Dynasty took place in 555 A. D., and the entire section consisted of 450-kilometre. It started from Nankou, all the way to Shanxi, passing through Datong and Beijing.

During this time, the labor force is estimated to have been approximately 1.8 million people (Roland and Jan 71). The construction and living conditions were also extremely poor during this time and as a result, high number of workers lost their lives.

Works Cited

Man, John. The Great Wall . London: Bantam Press, 2008. Print.

Roland, Michaud and Jan, Michel. The Great Wall of China . New York: Abbeville Press, 2001. Print.

Waldron, Arthur. The Great Wall of China: From History to Myth . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. Print.

Yamashita, Michael and Lindesay, William. The Great Wall – From Beginning to End . New York: Sterling, 2007. Print.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2019, March 21). The Great Wall of China. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-great-wall-of-china/

"The Great Wall of China." IvyPanda , 21 Mar. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/the-great-wall-of-china/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'The Great Wall of China'. 21 March.

IvyPanda . 2019. "The Great Wall of China." March 21, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-great-wall-of-china/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Great Wall of China." March 21, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-great-wall-of-china/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Great Wall of China." March 21, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-great-wall-of-china/.

• "Early Chinese Empires: Qin and Han" by Mark Edward Lewis
• The Qin Dynasty: The Governors of China
• Confucianism and Legalism in the Qin Dynasty
• Critical Issues in Philippine Relations
• "A Little Less Conversation" by Tirdad Zolghadr
• Korea as a link between the continent and Japan
• The Kurds in Modern Iraq
• Saudi Arabias’ Geopolitical and Socialeconomical Culture

• History Classics
• Your Profile
• Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window)
• This Day In History
• History Podcasts
• History Vault

Great Wall of China

By: History.com Editors

Updated: April 18, 2024 | Original: August 24, 2010

The Great Wall of China is an ancient series of walls and fortifications, totaling more than 13,000 miles in length, located in northern China. Perhaps the most recognizable symbol of China and its long and vivid history, the Great Wall was originally conceived by Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the third century B.C. as a means of preventing incursions from barbarian nomads. The best-known and best-preserved section of the Great Wall was built in the 14th through 17th centuries A.D., during the Ming dynasty. Though the Great Wall never effectively prevented invaders from entering China, it came to function as a powerful symbol of Chinese civilization’s enduring strength.

Qin Dynasty Construction

Though the beginning of the Great Wall of China can be traced to the fifth century B.C., many of the fortifications included in the wall date from hundreds of years earlier, when China was divided into a number of individual kingdoms during the so-called Warring States Period.

Around 220 B.C., Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a unified China under the Qin Dynasty , ordered that earlier fortifications between states be removed and a number of existing walls along the northern border be joined into a single system that would extend for more than 10,000 li (a li is about one-third of a mile) and protect China against attacks from the north.

Construction of the “Wan Li Chang Cheng,” or 10,000-Li-Long Wall, was one of the most ambitious building projects ever undertaken by any civilization. The famous Chinese general Meng Tian initially directed the project, and was said to have used a massive army of soldiers, convicts and commoners as workers.

Made mostly of earth and stone, the wall stretched from the China Sea port of Shanhaiguan over 3,000 miles west into Gansu province. In some strategic areas, sections of the wall overlapped for maximum security (including the Badaling stretch, north of Beijing, that was later restored during the Ming Dynasty ).

From a base of 15 to 50 feet, the Great Wall rose some 15-30 feet high and was topped by ramparts 12 feet or higher; guard towers were distributed at intervals along it.

Did you know? When Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered construction of the Great Wall around 221 B.C., the labor force that built the wall was made up largely of soldiers and convicts. It is said that as many as 400,000 people died during the wall's construction; many of these workers were buried within the wall itself.

Great Wall of China Through the Centuries

With the death of Qin Shi Huang and the fall of the Qin Dynasty, much of the Great Wall fell into disrepair. After the fall of the later Han Dynasty , a series of frontier tribes seized control in northern China. The most powerful of these was the Northern Wei Dynasty, which repaired and extended the existing wall to defend against attacks from other tribes.

The Bei Qi kingdom (550–577) built or repaired more than 900 miles of wall, and the short-lived but effective Sui Dynasty (581–618) repaired and extended the Great Wall of China a number of times.

With the fall of the Sui and the rise of the Tang Dynasty , the Great Wall lost its importance as a fortification, as China had defeated the Tujue tribe to the north and expanded past the original frontier protected by the wall.

During the Song Dynasty, the Chinese were forced to withdraw under threat from the Liao and Jin peoples to the north, who took over many areas on both sides of the Great Wall. The powerful Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty (circa 1271-1368), established by Genghis Khan , eventually controlled all of China, parts of Asia and sections of Europe.

Though the Great Wall held little importance for the Mongols as a military fortification, soldiers were assigned to man the wall in order to protect merchants and caravans traveling along the lucrative Silk Road trade routes established during this period.

Wall Building During the Ming Dynasty

Despite its long history, the Great Wall of China as it is exists today was constructed mainly during the mighty Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Like the Mongols, the early Ming rulers had little interest in building border fortifications, and wall building was limited before the late 15th century. In 1421, the Ming emperor Yongle proclaimed China’s new capital, Beijing, on the site of the former Mongol city of Dadu.

Under the strong hand of the Ming rulers, Chinese culture flourished, and the period saw an immense amount of construction in addition to the Great Wall, including bridges, temples and pagodas.

Construction on the most extensive and best-preserved section of the Great Wall began around 1474. After an initial phase of territorial expansion, Ming rulers took a largely defensive stance, and their reformation and extension of the Great Wall was key to this strategy.

The Ming wall extended from the Yalu River in Liaoning Province to the eastern bank of the Taolai River in Gansu Province, and winded its way from east to west through today’s Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia and Gansu.

Starting west of Juyong Pass, the Great Wall was split into south and north lines, respectively named the Inner and Outer Walls. Strategic “passes” (i.e., fortresses) and gates were placed along the wall; the Juyong, Daoma and Zijing passes, closest to Beijing, were named the Three Inner Passes, while further west were Yanmen, Ningwu and Piantou, the Three Outer Passes.

All six passes were heavily garrisoned during the Ming period and considered vital to the defense of the capital.

Significance of the Great Wall of China

In the mid-17th century, the Manchus from central and southern Manchuria broke through the Great Wall and encroached on Beijing, eventually forcing the fall of the Ming Dynasty and beginning of the Qing Dynasty.

Between the 18th and 20th centuries, the Great Wall emerged as the most common emblem of China for the Western world, and a symbol both physical—as a manifestation of Chinese strength—and a psychological representation of the barrier maintained by the Chinese state to repel foreign influences and exert control over its citizens.

Today, the Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in human history. In 1987, UNESCO designated the Great Wall a World Heritage site, and a popular claim emerged in the 20th century that it is the only manmade structure visible from space ( NASA has since refuted this claim ).

Over the years, roadways have been cut through the wall in various points, and many sections have deteriorated after centuries of neglect. The best-known section of the Great Wall of China—Badaling, located 43 miles (70 km) northwest of Beijing—was rebuilt in the late 1950s, and attracts thousands of national and foreign tourists every day.

Sign up for Inside History

Get HISTORY’s most fascinating stories delivered to your inbox three times a week.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

More details : Privacy Notice | Terms of Use | Contact Us

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

The great wall of china.

The Great Wall of China was built over centuries by China’s emperors to protect their territory. Today, it stretches for thousands of miles along China’s historic northern border.

Anthropology, Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, Ancient Civilizations, World History

The Great Wall of China is one of the most notorious structures in the entire world. The Jinshanling section in Hebei Province, China, pictured here, is only a small part of the wall that stretches over 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles).

Photograph by Hung Chung Chih

The one thing most people “know” about the Great Wall of China—that it is one of the only man-made structures visible from space—is not actually true. Since the wall looks a lot like the stone and soil that surround it, it is difficult to discern with the human eye even from low Earth orbit, and is difficult to make out in most orbital photos . However, this does not detract from the wonder of this astounding ancient structure.

For millennia, Chinese leaders instituted wall-building projects to protect the land from northern, nomadic invaders. One surviving section of such an ancient wall, in the Shandong province, is made of hard-packed soil called “ rammed earth ” and is estimated to be 2,500 years old. For centuries during the Warring States Period, before China was unified into one nation, such walls defended the borders.

Around 220 B.C.E., Qin Shi Huang, also called the First Emperor , united China. He masterminded the process of uniting the existing walls into one. At that time, rammed earth and wood made up most of the wall. Emperor after emperor strengthened and extended the wall, often with the aim of keeping out the northern invaders. In some places, the wall was constructed of brick. Elsewhere, quarried granite or even marble blocks were used. The wall was continuously brought up to date as building techniques advanced.

Zhu Yuanzhang, who became the Hongwu Emperor , took power in 1368 C.E. He founded the Ming Dynasty , famous for its achievements in the arts of ceramics and painting. The Ming emperors improved the wall with watchtowers and platforms. Most of the familiar images of the wall show Ming-era construction in the stone. Depending on how the wall is measured, it stretches somewhere between 4,000 and 5,500 kilometers (2,500 and 3,400 miles).

In the 17th century, the Manchu emperors extended Chinese rule into Inner Mongolia, making the wall less important as a defense. However, it has retained its importance as a symbol of Chinese identity and culture . Countless visitors view the wall every year. It may not be clearly visible from space, but it is considered “an absolute masterpiece” here on Earth.

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Production Manager

Program specialists, specialist, content production, last updated.

October 19, 2023

User Permissions

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service .

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

Related Resources

Essay on Great Wall of China

Students are often asked to write an essay on Great Wall of China in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Great Wall of China

Introduction.

The Great Wall of China is a magnificent ancient structure. Built over 2000 years ago, it stretches over 13,000 miles and is a symbol of China’s rich history.

Why was it built?

The Great Wall was built primarily for defense. Chinese emperors wanted to protect their lands from invasions, especially from the northern tribes.

Construction

Building the Great Wall was a massive task. Millions of workers used local materials like stone, wood, and earth to construct it.

Significance Today

Today, the Great Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It attracts millions of tourists and is a symbol of Chinese ingenuity and resilience.

Also check:

• 10 Lines on Great Wall of China

250 Words Essay on Great Wall of China

The great wall of china: an architectural marvel.

The Great Wall of China, an enduring symbol of human tenacity, represents a pinnacle of ancient defensive architecture. Its construction, spanning several dynasties, is a testament to the strategic foresight and engineering prowess of its builders.

Historical Significance

The Wall was primarily built to protect the Chinese empire from northern invasions. It served as a physical barrier, but also a psychological deterrent, showcasing the might of the empire. The Wall’s historical significance is further underscored by its role in trade regulation, as it facilitated the Silk Road commerce.

Architectural Ingenuity

The Wall’s architectural ingenuity is evident in its adaptation to the diverse topography of China. It traverses rugged mountains, vast deserts, and dense forests, demonstrating the builders’ advanced understanding of engineering and construction techniques. The beacon towers, an integral part of the Wall, served as communication hubs, illustrating a sophisticated early warning system.

Cultural Symbolism

Over time, the Great Wall has transcended its original purpose, becoming a symbol of national identity and unity. It embodies the spirit of perseverance and resilience, qualities that are deeply ingrained in Chinese culture.

Preservation and Challenges

Despite its robust construction, the Wall faces preservation challenges due to natural erosion and human activities. Its preservation is crucial not only for historical reasons but also for its value as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major tourist attraction.

In conclusion, the Great Wall of China stands as a remarkable testament to human ingenuity and endurance. It continues to inspire awe and respect, underlining the importance of preserving our shared global heritage.

500 Words Essay on Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China, a monumental feat of ancient defensive architecture, stands as a testament to human ingenuity and resilience. Its construction spans several dynasties, reflecting the evolution of architectural techniques and strategic thinking over the centuries.

Historical Overview

The origins of the Great Wall can be traced back to the 7th century BC. During this period, separate walls were constructed by different states to protect their territories from invasions. It was Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China, who initiated the project of joining these walls into a unified defense system in the 3rd century BC. The Wall underwent several enhancements and extensions under different dynasties, notably the Han, the Northern Qi, and the Ming.

Architectural Marvel

The Great Wall, stretching over 21,000 kilometers, is a marvel of engineering and construction. It was built using a variety of materials, including rammed earth, wood, bricks, and stones, depending on the local resources available. The Wall not only served as a physical barrier against invasions but also functioned as a transportation corridor, with beacon towers used for communication.

Symbolic Significance

Beyond its practical military purpose, the Great Wall has a profound symbolic significance. It embodies the Chinese people’s spirit of perseverance and their ability to unite for a common cause. The Wall stands as a symbol of national identity and cultural heritage, reflecting the civilization’s rich history and its enduring strength.

Modern Relevance

Today, the Great Wall serves as a major tourist attraction, offering insights into China’s past and its architectural prowess. However, it is also facing challenges due to natural erosion and human activities. Conservation efforts are underway to preserve this iconic structure for future generations.

The Great Wall of China is more than just a wall. It is an enduring symbol of China’s historical resilience and architectural genius. It continues to captivate the world with its grandeur, reminding us of the human capacity to create and endure. As we strive to preserve this iconic monument, we are not just safeguarding a piece of history, but also a symbol of human achievement and perseverance.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on China
• Essay on Importance of Girl Child
• Essay on Importance of Child Rights

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Most Popular

14 days ago

How to Write An Informative Essay

13 days ago

How To Cite Scientific Papers

Quetext vs grammarly, quillbot vs turnitin, native american weapons, the great wall of china essay sample, example.

Image: freepik.com

China is the largest country in Asia and the world’s most populous nation. It also has one of the world’s oldest and continuous civilizations. The Chinese have occupied their vast territory for thousands of years and China has numerous achievements in a variety of disciplines. The country has produced many great thinkers and philosophers, and numerous artists and inventors from China have introduced creations that have changed perhaps billions of lives. Some of these creations include the compass, gunpowder, paper, printing, porcelain, and silk. But perhaps the most well-known and recognized symbol of China is the Great Wall .

The Great Wall, or Chang Cheng in Chinese, is massive. It begins in the east at the Yellow Sea, travels near China’s capital, Beijing, and continues west through numerous provinces. For thousands of miles, it winds like a snake through China’s varied terrain. Smaller walls extend from the main wall. According to conservative estimates, the Great Wall’s length is approximately 2,400 miles, its thickness ranges from 15-30 feet wide, and it reaches in height to about 25 feet. For many centuries, the Great Wall has been considered one of the world’s wonders (Turnbull & Noon, 2007).

Although it is often mistakenly thought of as a single wall, the Great Wall is a series of walls that were constructed, reconstructed, and expanded over several centuries and, depending on the location, having different materials. The massive construction project was the idea of China’s first emperor, Shi Huangdi, who ended more than 250 years of regional fighting between several independent states, and united China. Once in control, Shi Huangdi wanted to maintain his power and position. The idea to create a massive wall along the northern border of the country was conceived by the emperor to bar assailants from kingdoms to the north of China. The construction of the Great Wall continued long after the reign of Shi Huangdi, particularly during the Han and the Ming dynasties. During these periods, features such as watch towers, gates, and garrisons were added or enhanced, and the Great Wall’s design was unified (Marsh, 2006).

The Great Wall is of great significance, as it reflects much of China’s extensive history. The Great Wall helped define the empire and mark a boundary between the Chinese and foreigners. The great emperor, Shi Huangdi, wanted to keep the Chinese people together and at the same time isolate foreigners, especially those to the north (Sterling, 2009). The Great Wall survives today, more than 2,000 years after its initial construction. It attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world each day, being one of the most toured and significant monuments in the world. This has helped boost China’s economy through tourism and foreign exchange (Collins, Staton & Milgrom, 2010).

The Great Wall is undeniably one of humankind’s most prominent and enduring architectural feats. It is a testament to a people’s ability to plan, organize, create, and work diligently together. The wall is a monument to Chinese civilization, one that came at great costs and through countless sacrifices.

References Collins, T., Staton, J., & Milgrom, A. (2010). Building the Great Wall of China: An Isabel Soto History Adventure . Mankato, MN: Capstone Press.

Marsh, C. (2006). The Mystery on the Great Wall of China . Peachtree City, GA: Gallopade International.

Sterling, B. L. (2009). Do Good Fences Make Good Neighbors? What History Teaches Us about Strategic Barriers and International Security . Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press.

Turnbull, S. R., & Noon, S. (2007). The Great Wall of China, 221 BC-AD 1644 . Oxford, UK: Osprey Pub.

Follow us on Reddit for more insights and updates.

Comments (0)

Welcome to A*Help comments!

We’re all about debate and discussion at A*Help.

We value the diverse opinions of users, so you may find points of view that you don’t agree with. And that’s cool. However, there are certain things we’re not OK with: attempts to manipulate our data in any way, for example, or the posting of discriminative, offensive, hateful, or disparaging material.

Comments are closed.

More from Descriptive Essay Examples and Samples 2024

May 16 2023

Creating School Environments Free from Harassment Essay Sample, Example

May 05 2023

Eating disorders Essay Sample, Example

Ethical and Legal Aspect of Nursing Essay Sample, Example

Related writing guides, writing a descriptive essay.

Remember Me

What is your profession ? Student Teacher Writer Other

Forgotten Password?

Username or Email

Premium Content

• HISTORY MAGAZINE

The Great Wall of China's long legacy

The Ming dynasty built a giant wall stretching 5,000 miles to keep invaders out of China, but how effective was it against the enemy?

Desolately the wind rises. We march thousands of miles over vast distances. Why do we cross the deserts? To build the Great Wall.

This poem, written by Emperor Yangdi at the beginning of the seventh century A.D., is a lyrical reminder of the centuries spent by the Chinese building a wall to repel foreign invaders. Just one among many defensive strategies that China employed, the Great Wall stretches more than 5,000 miles long. Rather than one continuous wall, it consists of many smaller pieces, all built during different eras in history. (See also: Building walls may have allowed civilization to flourish .)

The earliest fortifications date back as far as the seventh century B.C., but the best-preserved sections were built during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The Great Wall is a marvel of engineering and triumph of human ingenuity, but the verdict is out on how well it worked at its primary function: keeping people out.

Northern Aggression

The primary threat to the Chinese came from the northern neighbors. Nomadic herders had inhabited the bordering steppe territories since the fourth century B.C. The harsh environment produced enough for the people to survive, but not much else. The northerners envied the goods and luxuries enjoyed by their southern neighbors, such as fine textiles and a wider variety of agricultural products.

The nomads’ population was significantly smaller than that of the Chinese but posed a serious military threat nonetheless. Astride their quick, hardy steppe ponies and armed with powerful bows and arrows, their warriors were capable of launching effective raids on the bordering Chinese states and taking what they wanted.(See also: Trading Silk for Horses: Origins of the Silk Road .)

Trading with the Enemies

Contact between northern nomads and the people of China was based as much on trade as war. On the steppes, the Mongols couldn’t grow many crops, making agricultural trade with the Chinese essential. There was also high demand among nomadic tribes for textiles such as silk and cotton, as well as metal to make weapons. The Chinese, meanwhile, coveted the nomads’ small horses for war. They could not raise the large number of mounts they needed in Chinese stables, and the nomads seemed to have more horses than anyone else. However, there was an imbalance in these trade relations: The Chinese could manage without horses, but the Mongols could not forgo food or clothing.

Chinese emperors resorted to numerous strategies to keep the nomads out, including engineering, warfare, and diplomacy. The first emperor of a united China, Qin Shi Huang Di (221-210 B.C.), created one of the first unified lines of fortifications along the entire northern border, linking existing structures built by previous states.

The emperors of the succeeding Han dynasty attempted economic as well as military strategies to deal with outsiders. They paid subsidies while simultaneously conducting campaigns on the steppes and building a new defensive wall. But these tactics failed to stop the invaders. Instead of ceasing their attacks, the northerners learned that not only could their incursions gain them quick access to goods, but they could also be used as a threat to request even more aid from the Chinese.

For Hungry Minds

Over the next thousand years, relations continued in this fashion. Then, in the 13th century A.D., a chief called Temüjin unified the Mongols, shifting the balance of power in favor of the northerners. Temüjin—who had become emperor of the Mongols under the name Genghis Khan —attacked northern China in 1211 and captured the capital in 1215. His grandson, Kublai Khan, would succeed in capturing all of China and founding a new dynasty: the Yuan.

The Yuan dynasty didn’t last long. It was overthrown by a peasant revolt in 1368. The Mongol court fled the capital and took refuge on the steppes. China’s new reigning dynasty, the Ming (1368-1644), began an aggressive campaign to prevent the Yuan from attempting to return to power. But going on the attack would prove disastrous in 1449, when they suffered a devastating defeat at the Battle of Tumu. From the 15th century on, the dynasty moved more and more onto the defensive.

Despite it being an unpopular policy among the Ming dynasty’s emperors and civil servants, foreign aid was repeatedly sent to the Mongols to contain them, an outlay that became a burden on public finances. Such measures failed to prevent a surge in border attacks by the emboldened Mongols, in part a tactic to force the Chinese to trade the goods so desperately needed on the steppes. According to Great Secretary Li Xian in 1459, the Mongols’ constant need for food and clothing “is a calamity for China.” It was not until 1571 that a powerful courtier, Minister Wang Chung Ku, convinced Emperor Longqing to change the policy. Trading posts were built on the border. The number of Mongol attacks fell, and China could wind down its expensive military campaigns.

Cooked in kilns at 2102 ̊F (1150 ̊C) for seven days, many of the Great Wall's bricks were as strong as reinforced concrete.

One Brick at a Time

In parallel with these diplomatic and economic maneuvers, the Ming embarked on building the Great Wall. Extensive construction began in the 16th and 17th centuries. Much of this massive barrier snaking up and down the hills still stands today. Earlier fortifications had taken the form of earthworks, but under the Ming program, they would be made from a stone base covered with brick.

An astonishing 5,000 miles in length, the new fortifications were vastly more ambitious than any of the previous structures, costing as much as a hundred times more than earlier walls, according to some chroniclers. The Ming rulers were determined their wall would withstand both nomadic aggression and the slower assaults of weather and time.

So far, its victory against erosion is an unqualified success. The barrier’s military effectiveness, however, is somewhat harder to assess. China’s northern border continued to suffer a very large number of attacks. Sometimes these were undertaken by armies numbering as many as 100,000 men, as well as by smaller groups of nomads. One example of the latter took place in Wo Yan in 1555, when a score of Mongol warriors attacked a tower in the middle of the night using grappling hooks to climb the wall. But just as they reached the top, the snorting of their horses alerted the Chinese guards.

You May Also Like

China’s beloved drunken poet died centuries ago—or did he?

China’s greatest naval explorer sailed his treasure fleets as far as East Africa

Meet 5 of history's most elite fighting forces

Watchers on the wall.

The lives of the guards stationed along the wall’s vast length were extremely tough. In 1443 a document from the Ministry of the Army admitted that “soldiers on the northwest border are exposed to wind and cold. Whether they serve as watchmen on the signal towers or guards in the passes... they may be away from their base, family, and children for months or years, and are often lacking for clothing and food. It is true they are paid monthly but they often have to spend their money on weapons or horses. Their suffering from hunger and cold is indescribable.”

These harsh living conditions could partly explain the low morale among the soldiers. There is evidence of widespread distrust between civil servants and the men. In 1554 one official accused the border troops of cowardice: Whenever the enemy approached the wall, he said, they fled without putting up any resistance. In 1609 another account suggested lack of resources may have been at fault. Since the guards on the towers felt unable to defend themselves, they would not raise the alarm if they spotted Mongols nearby, preferring to pretend that they had not seen them.

Builders and Defenders

Chinese troops along the wall also had a great deal of friendly contact with the nomads. In spite of opposition from their superiors, Chinese border guards often traded with their enemies. In extreme situations, soldiers even openly colluded with them.

In 1533, according to one revealing account from a civil servant, soldiers on observation towers served as guides for Mongol war parties during their incursions into Chinese territory. In 1550 the military commander of the northern city of Datong reported: “Our troops and rangers often go into Mongol lands to trade with them and have made friends there. Four leaders, Altan, Toyto, Senge and Usin, have incorporated observation towers from our great frontier into their camps. The Mongols take our men’s place as watchmen and our soldiers replace their troops as herders. This means that no strategic information about our defenses goes unnoticed by the Mongols.” For all the Great Wall’s magnificence as a structure, it was only effective if manned by disciplined troops. The remoteness coupled with the harsh living conditions tested even the most steadfast.

The Rise of the Manchu

Weakened by two centuries of conflict with the Mongols, the Ming lost power internally. They yielded power to the Manchus after a peasants’ revolt in 1644. The Manchu, or Qing, dynasty (1644-1912), hugely expanded China’s borders northward, making the Great Wall largely unnecessary as a defensive measure.The wall stands as the world’s largest military structure and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. It remains a potent symbol of the collective pride of the Chinese people. Even so, China’s iconic military monument was an imperfect defense in its long struggle against the irrepressible nomads from the north.

Related Topics

• ANCIENT CHINA
• ANCIENT HISTORY
• IMPERIAL CHINA

The first sack of Rome wasn't when you think it was

She was Genghis Khan’s wife—and made the Mongol Empire possible

Is this the world's oldest saddle?

Why Lunar New Year prompts the world’s largest annual migration

This ancient marvel rivaled Rome’s intricate network of roads

• Environment
• Perpetual Planet

History & Culture

• History & Culture
• History Magazine
• Mind, Body, Wonder
• Paid Content
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

• Undergraduate
• High School
• Architecture
• American History
• Asian History
• Antique Literature
• American Literature
• Asian Literature
• Classic English Literature
• World Literature
• Creative Writing
• Linguistics
• Criminal Justice
• Legal Issues
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Political Science
• World Affairs
• African-American Studies
• East European Studies
• Latin-American Studies
• Native-American Studies
• West European Studies
• Family and Consumer Science
• Social Issues
• Women and Gender Studies
• Social Work
• Natural Sciences
• Pharmacology
• Earth science
• Agriculture
• Agricultural Studies
• Computer Science
• IT Management
• Mathematics
• Investments
• Engineering and Technology
• Engineering
• Aeronautics
• Medicine and Health
• Alternative Medicine
• Communications and Media
• Advertising
• Communication Strategies
• Public Relations
• Educational Theories
• Teacher's Career
• Chicago/Turabian
• Company Analysis
• Education Theories
• Shakespeare
• Canadian Studies
• Food Safety
• Relation of Global Warming and Extreme Weather Condition
• Movie Review
• Admission Essay
• Annotated Bibliography
• Application Essay
• Article Critique
• Article Review
• Article Writing
• Book Review
• Business Plan
• Business Proposal
• Capstone Project
• Cover Letter
• Creative Essay
• Dissertation
• Dissertation - Abstract
• Dissertation - Conclusion
• Dissertation - Discussion
• Dissertation - Hypothesis
• Dissertation - Introduction
• Dissertation - Literature
• Dissertation - Methodology
• Dissertation - Results
• GCSE Coursework
• Grant Proposal
• Marketing Plan
• Multiple Choice Quiz
• Personal Statement
• Power Point Presentation
• Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes
• Questionnaire
• Reaction Paper
• Research Paper
• Research Proposal
• SWOT analysis
• Thesis Paper
• Online Quiz
• Literature Review
• Movie Analysis
• Statistics problem
• Math Problem
• All papers examples
• How It Works
• Money Back Policy
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• We Are Hiring

The Great Wall of China, Essay Example

Pages: 4

Words: 1222

Hire a Writer for Custom Essay

Use 10% Off Discount: "custom10" in 1 Click 👇

You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

Japanese Art Ukiyo-E

The ukiyo-e was acknowledged as an artistic style that depicted paintings of the floating world. The ukiyo-e was a style of Japanese art that applied thick wooden blocks in order to demonstrate entertainment, historical occurrences and landscapes. The artwork was in favor in Edo during the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Utagawa Hiroshige had been a Japanese artist who specialized in ukiyo-e art. He lived from 1797 – 1858. Hiroshige had been one of the last artists that was able to perpetuate the tradition of Japanese block art. In the Edo era there had been a significant interest in traveling to other lands (Hiroshige 7; Forrer 21).

The concepts of foreign lands enabled Hiroshige to become inspired with his art. The details of Tokyo are still applied in the Japanese block art due to the premise that not much of the landscapes have been modified since the Hiroshige block wood drawings. Artists who included Ivan Bilibin of Russia and Vincent van Gogh were inspired by Hiroshige’s depictions on the block forms. One of the most well-known works that had been created by Hiroshige is the One Hundred different Views of Edo. The depictions of the entertainment rooms were interesting due to the extensive attention to detail that is emphasized in his art. Hiroshige detailed the social distinctions between Japanese women in his block wood art. The geisha were attired in a certain manner and the regular ladies and housewives would be attired in other attire. All of Hiroshige’s art depict peace without aggression (Hiroshige 9; Forrer 25).

Hiroshige demonstrated his ability to paint impressionist paintings with his paintings that depicted thirty six different angles of Mount Fuji. The colors that had been applied by Hiroshige were more vivid than the colors that were applied in art in Europe (Hiroshige 11; Forrer 31). Hiroshige was a master of demonstrating the distinctions of social class in Japan. This is evident in his art work. Hiroshige went to substantial detail in order to ensure that the Geisha engaged in all types of pleasuring activities as a form of making a living and maintaining their social status in Japanese society. Hiroshige went to such detail that he would demonstrated the blush in the facial expression of the Geisha when they were resting or entertaining in one of the entertainment rooms (Hiroshige 7; Forrer 21).

Hiroshige differentiated the women who were geisha from the women who were not geisha by the attire. The women who were mothers and housewives are depicted as having their bow on the back of their dress. The women who are purported to be geisha would have the bow fastened to the front of their dress. In addition, he would show the women who were geisha with more subtle distinctions. These distinctions would include having the robe open slightly. This would infer that the women were engaged in a pleasuring activity. The robe would not be demonstrated wide open, the robe would be opened slightly and flushed with colors of red in order to create an image in the observers’ imagination. Hiroshige demonstrated that the people who were in the privileged classes always dressed with an extensive amount of clothing. The women who were peasants and farmers would attire themselves in less clothing that would have less emphasis on the brightness of the colors.  Hiroshige helped to perpetuate the legacy of Japanese block art (Hiroshige 12; Forrer 26).

Great Wall of China

The architectural wonder that will be explored is the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall of China is acknowledged as the Long wall of the ten thousand li. It is one of the defensive fortifications that was constructed in order to defend the middle kingdom of China from the barbarians.

The Great Wall of China was initiated during the Chunqiu period that ranged from 722 – 441 B.C.E. A substantial amount of the Great wall was constructed during the period of the Warring States (453- 221 B.C.E.)(Du Temple 16; O’ Neill 55).

These eras required the building of the Great Wall due to the attribute of being period of extensive struggle between seven Chinese dynasties for the Control of the middle kingdom China. The building of some of the walls can be attributed to the conflicts that were had with the feudal lords. The section of the Great Wall that was constructed in 408 B.C. E. in order to provide defense to the Wei from the Qin. Many of the vestiges which were preserved in central China were built many years before the Great wall. The Yan and the Zhao constructed the Great Wall against the barbarians in the years 300 B.C. E. eighty years later, Qin Shi Huang, the patriarch of the Empire that would endure for ten thousand generations, committed to the endeavor of restoring and creating the connection of the divided sections of the Great Wall which had been constructed in 300 B. C. E (Du Temple 17; O’ Neill 17).

Qin Shi Huang also connected the other parts of the wall that extended from the Lanzhou to the valley of Huanghe. The Great Wall of China was the primary fortification that had been built during that era.  In the reign of the Han dynasty, the Great Wall of China was extended from 3700 miles from the Bohai Sea to Dunhuang. The assault by the Turks, Mongols and Tunguz caused the Great Wall of China to be a necessity in addition to a thing of architectural splendor (Du Temple 18; O’ Neill 44).

Subsequent to the collapse of the Han dynasty, the Great Wall of China entered into a medieval phase. The endeavors of maintenance and construction were stopped and were only performed occasionally. The great wall had a garrison of one hundred and eighty thousand Chinese troops that were stationed on the command depots along the Gansu. Additional work was performed on the Great Wall during the fifth to seventh century A.D. In that era, China had developed such a military force that there had been no longer a need to construct defensive fortifications Du (Temple 16; O’ Neill 55).

This perception continued for almost one thousand years. When the Ming emperors ascended to power and required expelling the Mongols in the era that spanned between (1368 -1644 A.D) the long lost tradition that had been initiated by Qin Shi Huang was reinitiated. In the era of the Ming dynasty, more than three thousand five hundred miles of reinforced walls were built. The stones that were used were extremely fitted. The Great Wall become guarded by twenty five thousand deports and 15, 000 military outposts. The roads that were atop the Great Wall of China caused the movement of troops to be extremely efficient or during the times of peace, the Great wall facilitated the transmission of communication. The Great Wall of China is the only architectural wonder of the world that can be clearly identified from space (Turnbull 5).

Works Cited

Du Temple, Lesley. The Great Wall of China . Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publishing Company, 2002. Print.

Hiroshige, And? & Chris Uhlenbeck. Hiroshige: Shaping the image of Japan . Leiden, Netherlands: Hotei Publishing, 2008. Print.

Forrer, Mathi. Hiroshige: prints and drawings . Leiden, Netherlands: Prestel, 2011. Print

O’ Neill, Joseph R. The Great Wall of China . Edina, MN: ABDO Publishing Company, 2009. Print.

Turnbull, Stephen. The Great Wall of China 221 BC – AD 1644 . New York, NY: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2007. Print.

Stuck with your Essay?

Get in touch with one of our experts for instant help!

Necessary Component of the BSN, Essay Example

Standards of Practice for Culturally Competent Nursing Care, Coursework Example

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Plagiarism-free guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Secure checkout

Money back guarantee

Related Essay Samples & Examples

Voting as a civic responsibility, essay example.

Pages: 1

Words: 287

Utilitarianism and Its Applications, Essay Example

Words: 356

The Age-Related Changes of the Older Person, Essay Example

Pages: 2

Words: 448

The Problems ESOL Teachers Face, Essay Example

Pages: 8

Words: 2293

Should English Be the Primary Language? Essay Example

Words: 999

The Term “Social Construction of Reality”, Essay Example

Words: 371

EssayEmpire

Great wall of china essay.

Beginning in 324 b.c.e. three northern Chinese states with nomadic neighbors—Qin (Ch’in), Zhao (Chao), and Yan (Yen)—began to build defensive walls. After Qin unified China in 221 b.c.e. the first emperor ordered his most able general, Meng Tian (Meng T’ien), to connect these existing walls and extend them to form a unified system of defense. The result is the Great Wall of China.

For 10 years beginning in 221 b.c.e. Meng Tian commanded a force of 300,000 men (soldiers, convicts, and corvee laborers), who simultaneously campaigned against the Xiongnu (Hsiung-nu) and other nomads and built the wall. There is no detailed information about the project. The great historian Sima Qian (Ssu-ma Ch’ien) wrote this account in The Historical Records:

“He [Meng Tian] . . . built a Great Wall, constructing its defiles and passes in accordance with the configurations of the terrain. It started at Lin-t’ao and extended to Liao-tung, reaching a distance of more than a myriad li. After crossing the [Yellow] River, it wound northward, touching the Yang mountains.”

Controversy remains over the length of the Qin wall. Sima Qian used the word wan, which translates as “ten thousand” or “myriad” in English; myriad was often used to designate a large but not precise number. Regardless of its precise length, the logistics for its building was daunting, far more so than building a pyramid, because the wall advances and so the supply line is always changing. Moreover, it extends over mountains and semi deserts where the local population was sparse and the weather inclement. A vast army of support personnel was also involved, and death among the workers must have been high. Legends that the bodies of the dead were used as wall fillers have proved untrue from excavations; however, they reflect the resentment the relentless demand for labor for the project created. Unlike the Ming wall built almost 2,000 years later of rocks and large fired bricks, the Qin wall was made of tamped earth from local materials. The completed wall stretched from Gansu (Kansu) in the west to north of Pyongyang in present-day North Korea. The building of the wall and earlier Qin defeat of the Xiongnu also had the unintended result of solidifying and unifying the various Xiongnu tribes under their leader Maotun (Mao-t’un) in 209 b.c.e.

The fall of Qin in 206 b.c.e. resulted in neglect in China’s northern defenses and Xiongnu incursions, which the first Han emperor Gaozu (Liu Bang) was unable to check. After defeat by Maotun in a major battle in 200 b.c.e., Han and Xiongnu made peace under the Heqin (Ho-chin) Treaty, which made the Great Wall their boundary. Appeasement of the Xiongnu ended in 133 b.c.e. with major Han campaigns that ultimately broke up the Xiongnu confederacy and led to Han expansion to the northwest. The Great Wall was extended across the Gansu Corridor to Yumenguan (Yu-men Kuan), with forts and frontier posts along the way. Military colonists guarded these posts, growing food, supplying provisions for government missions, and safeguarding horse stud farms for the cavalry. Many of the ruined Han forts and outposts remain to show the cost of the Pax Sinica that the Han created and that the Great Wall safeguarded.

References :

• Geil, William E. The Great Wall of China New York: Sturgis and Walton, 1909;
• Jagchid, Sechin, and Van Jay Symons. Peace, War, and Trade Along the Great Wall, Nomadic-Chinese Interaction through Two Millennia Bloomington: University of Indiana Press, 1989;
• Twitchett, Denis, and Michael Lowe, eds. The Cambridge History of China, Volume 1, The Ch’in and Han Empires 2211 b.c.e.–220 c.e. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988.

This example Great Wall of China Essay is published for educational and informational purposes only. If you need a custom essay or research paper on this topic please use our writing services. EssayEmpire.com offers reliable custom essay writing services that can help you to receive high grades and impress your professors with the quality of each essay or research paper you hand in.

• How to Write a History Essay
• History Essay Topics
• History Essay Examples

ORDER HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM PAPER

Special offer!

GET 10% OFF WITH  24START  DISCOUNT CODE

Related posts.

Age of Empires: Art of the Qin and Han Dynasties

Spanning four centuries, from 221 B.C. to A.D. 220, the Qin and Han dynasties were pivotal to Chinese history, establishing the social and cultural underpinnings of China as we know it today. Age of Empires: Art of the Qin and Han Dynasties is a revelatory study of the dawn of China’s imperial age, delving into more than 160 objects that attest to the artistic and cultural flowering that occurred under Qin and Han rule.

Before this time, China consisted of seven independent states. They were brought together by Qin Shihuangdi, the self-proclaimed First Emperor of the newly unified realm. Under him, the earliest foundations of the Great Wall were laid, and the Qin army made spectacular advances in the arts of war—an achievement best expressed in the magnificent army of lifesize terracotta warriors and horses that stood before his tomb, seven of which are reproduced here. The Han built on the successes of the Qin, the increasing wealth and refinement of the empire reflected in dazzling bronze and lacquer vessels, ingeniously engineered lamps, and sparkling ornaments of jade and gold from elite Han tombs. But of all the achievements of the Qin-Han era, the most significant is, no doubt, the emergence of a national identity, for it was during this time of unprecedented change that people across the empire began to see themselves as one, with China as their common homeland.

With its engaging, authoritative essays and evocative illustrations, Age of Empires provides an invaluable record of a unique epoch in Chinese history, one whose historic and artistic impact continues to resonate into the modern age.

Met Art in Publication

You May Also Like

China: Dawn of a Golden Age, 200–750 A.D.

The Great Bronze Age of China: An Exhibition from The People's Republic of China

The Year One: Art of the Ancient World East and West

Possessing the Past: Treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taipei

The World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty

Related content, age of empires: chinese art of the qin and han dynasties (221 b.c.–a.d. 220).

• Essay Han Dynasty (206 B.C.–220 A.D.)
• Essay Qin Dynasty (221–206 B.C.)
• Essay The _Qin_
• Essay Trade Routes between Europe and Asia during Antiquity
• Essay Chinese Hardstone Carvings

Sun, Zhixin. 2017. Age of Empires: Art of the Qin and Han Dynasties . New York New Haven (Conn.) London: The Metropolitan museum of art distributed by Yale university press.