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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The Great Wall of China Descriptive Essay
1. introduction.
Creating content for the work "The Great Wall of China: A Symbol of Ancient Engineering and Cultural Heritage" as outlined in the table of contents below. The goal is to create a concise yet coherent text of at least 1800 symbols or 2-3 paragraphs, exploring the content for the section "1. Introduction", that delivers concrete, specific, factual (where needed) information relevant to the title for the section. To achieve that, you have to achieve 5 equally important guidelines. 1. Use a formal tone in your response. The Great Wall of China: A Symbol of Ancient Engineering and Cultural Heritage Jan 19, 2017 Work on the Great Wall of China was started in about 221 B.C. by a man named Shih Huang Ti, a former chieftain and then founder of Universal Empire, who unified China. Shih Huang wanted to create a defense wall to protect China from the north, from the raids by the Mongols and other warriors. However, the Great Wall of China did not actually begin to take shape until the reign of the Ming Dynasty in 1368-1644. During this time, many defensive walls were being built, but the actual 'Great Wall' as we know it today only came to this shape in this time. The Emperors of the Ming Dynasty wanted to protect their lands from invasions, and the construction of the Great Wall greatly served this purpose. However, the Great Wall also served as a representation of separation between the Chinese and the 'barbarian'. This is because at the many borders of Chinese controlled land, many walls were to be built to stop invasions from the north.
1.1 Historical Significance
The wall was built to protect and consolidate territories in what was then China, and has since been the site of innumerable battles between warring factions in and around the country. Notable examples of this include the battle against the nomadic Xiongnu tribes in 111 BC, the many battles against the Mongols in the 13th century, and the Yang Guan battle against an alliance of rebel forces in the early 2nd century. In the long term, the wall has become a physical representation of China's enduring strength, perseverance, and unification through hard work. This is evident through events during the Song dynasty when the wall was repaired and rebuilt to protect against the Mongols and various other times when the wall was reinforced to protect against the Huns and eventually Genghis Khan. The most recent repair work on the wall was done by the Chinese government in the 20th century, yet it is the earlier work that revealed the wall's role as a monument to the Chinese people and symbol of their spirit. This can be seen through the numerous Chinese and foreign poems, proverbs, and stories regarding the Great Wall, all expressing its significance to the Chinese and the admiration of its endurance throughout different periods of China's extensive history.
1.2 Purpose and Construction
The wall was built by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, between 220-200 BC. The main purpose was to protect and consolidate territories within China. The wall was also built to keep out invading Mongols from the North. However, this wall was not the first wall to be built. In the 7th century BC, there were already walls built around the northern borders. Building big walls became a common practice in the following years. This particular wall was built due to recent military failures against the Northern tribes, and the wall before it was not strong enough to prevent the frequent invasions from the North. In order to achieve its purpose, the wall was constructed by soldiers, common people, and criminals. Many people were forced to work on the Great Wall as part of penal labor as a punishment for their crimes. This large workforce was used to accomplish the task of a wall that covered over 4000 miles of distance. This wall was made over a very long period of time, with many different dynasties ruling during the time period, and each dynasty that worked on the wall had its own different constructional techniques. The wall turned out to be a very effective defense barrier, as it not only prevented the Mongols from coming into China, it prevented the Chinese from going out and engaging in trade, which was a major setback when the wall was breached several times during the Manchu invasion. The construction and purpose of the wall led to many results, some immediate, some long term. Due to the forced labor endured by the common people and soldiers' deaths during construction, there was much bitterness from the laborers and their families toward the dynasty in power, which had ancillary effects on various dynasties themselves.
1.3 Length and Location
When talking about the Great Wall of China, one of the first questions asked is, "How long is it?" The main wall spans 2,500 kilometers (1,500 miles) with all of its branches, the walls stretch 6,259 kilometers (3,889 miles). The distance from China's western frontier to the sea is about 3,200 kilometers (2,000 miles). The length of all the Great Wall of China built over the last 2,000 years is approximately 21,196 kilometers (13,171 miles). What is truly amazing is that this wall was built entirely by hand. The Great Wall was constructed over 2,000 years ago. Construction began in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), and continued from the Warring States Period to the Qin Dynasty. The majority of the construction was during the Warring States Period when the six states in China constantly warred with one another. The great wall that tourists visit today is the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, which was built from 1368-1644. This project took about 200 years of construction to connect walls built by previous dynasties and to build new sections of wall. This great wall follows the southern border of Inner Mongolia. It begins in the east at Shanhaiguan (known as the "Number One Pass Under Heaven"), and stretches West into Gansu Province at Jiayuguan (known as the "First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven"). This piece of walling has remained the most intact and is what tourists visit today. The building materials for the Great Wall were simple and consisted of earth, stones, and wood. Farmers from nearby villages were conscripted for wall building during slack periods in the agricultural cycle, and worked on sections of wall near their homes.
2. Architectural Features
Watchtowers and fortresses are important parts of the Great Wall. They are often seen in clusters of twelve to eighteen at main passes and strategic points. The distance between each tower is within signaling distance. Each tower has a unique and restricted building style. By observing the styles, we can usually identify from which dynasty the towers were built. The earliest towers were simple and solid, with watch windows and tiled roofs to protect the soldiers from the weather and the enemy. In the Han Dynasty, the towers were built of stone and bricks. The walls were built up as high as the inner space of the tower, and there were fighting platforms to repel attackers. In the Ming Dynasty, the towers became more sophisticated. Different styles were used to build towers in different positions. At high points and passes, solid and majestic towers were built to act as protection for the wall and the strategic location. At lower points and river crossings, where enemy attack was more likely to occur, the towers were built to be more solid and store greater numbers of weapons. The walls and stairs were twisted, and the way up to the tower was often blocked by an enemy attack. In some places, the towers were built on one side of the wall so that the soldiers could flank the enemy as they tried to attack the wall. During the final years of the Ming Dynasty and the early Qing Dynasty, many of the watchtowers were two stories, with the top story being used as a store for weapons and the lower story for soldiers to rest and prepare for the next shift. The top of the tower was often used as an observation point as there were few other tall buildings in ancient China. During peacetime, frontier soldiers would also raise flocks of pigeons, which would be used as emergency message carriers in case of an enemy attack.
2.1 Watchtowers and Fortresses
The watchtowers and fortresses were also a very important part of the Wall. They were used as a command center and communications tower. If there was suspicious activity on the border, a beacon tower would send a smoke signal, where they would burn wolf dung to make the black smoke, to the command center, which was usually very close to a fortress. There, troops were always stationed, never leaving their post. If the officials declared that the Wall was to be abandoned, they would simply shut the doors to the outside and never come back, as a convenient way to leave the post. In a time of need, the troops in the command center could dispatch extra soldiers to the location of trouble. The troops would either use the Wall or a series of parallel walls to avoid getting sandwiched by the enemy. By using metal weapons and strategic placement, the soldiers were almost always able to defend the Wall, as compared to the Song dynasty with the wooden weapons. At the base of the Wall, there were underground escape routes, used as a last resort to retreat and devise counterattacks at enemy soldiers who had already breached the Wall and/or infiltrated the border.
2.2 Ramparts and Parapets
These features are particularly prominent in the western region, while in other sections the functions of the ramparts and parapets were absorbed by the top of the Great Wall and the steepness of the mountain cliffs. The ramparts and parapets together formed a crenellated wall-walk, offering a protected pathway along the outer side of the Great Wall. The parapets were typically around shoulder height and featured a low wall on the outer side, beyond which the wall defenders could discharge projectiles upon the enemy. The interior side of the parapet wall typically had open slots at regular intervals, through which soldiers could scan the ground below for signs of enemy activity, and could also communicate with any front-line forces stationed on the ground outside the Great Wall. The rampart is the raised embankment joining the interior and exterior sides of the parapet walls, and was used as an elevated firing platform for the soldiers stationed on the wall-walk. It also further strengthened the defensive capabilities of the Great Wall by increasing the height from which the defenders could engage the enemy, and by making the wall structurally stronger. The pyramid-shaped design of the ramparts on the terracotta model of a signal tower found in Xi'an, and the 1965-75 restorations of the Great Wall in Beijing, are both examples of design details intended to increase the structural strength of the Great Wall.
2.3 Gates and Passes
Government designs for each of the gates, and sometimes for the entire length of wall, were complex and thoughtful. The gateways were often elaborate structures that included features such as raised platforms and multiple doors that would prove to be great defensive advantages. Each gate was designed with at least two doorways. This made it difficult for any enemy to get through since they could not simply charge straight through but would have to make a turn. The doors were two-story high wooden structures, reinforced with metal plating. These would be set on fire if an enemy breach was imminent. Above the gateways on the first floors, there would be murder holes and other openings through which defenders could fire on attackers and pour down a variety of harmful objects. Finally, the location of gates and passes was specifically chosen by those who designed them. This often meant building a small pass or even a tunnel through high terrain that, for the most part, made this location the only viable path. By doing so, openings were much easier to defend and would offer no easy alternatives to any large-scale invasions. While the gates and passes have suffered substantial damage, their remains can still be found today and are reminiscent of the high level of detail and effort that was invested into their construction.
2.4 Beacon Towers
Beacon towers functioned as a crucial communication system on the Great Wall. The towers were built at regular intervals along the wall. Inside the beacon tower was a system of smoke and fire beacons. Usage of the beacon system was first recorded in the early 4th century AD. The system was important for sending signals and warnings of an enemy attack. In 353 AD, the ruler Fu Jian established a beacon and telegraph system. Beacon towers were built up to 100 li from one another. On the upper part of the tower, a pile of dry wood was used as fuel to send signals. The early system of beacons used smoke signals for communication, but this was eventually replaced by a system using smoke in the daytime and fire during the night. At the transition from the Sui to Tang Dynasties, a sophisticated beacon tower design was in use. During the day, the beacon used dry reeds as fuel. The system was so effective that during the day, a signal could be received over a distance of 30 li in the space of an hour. By the Tang Dynasty, there were as many as 900 beacon towers in use. A major attack against the Great Wall occurred in 909 AD, after which the Liang Dynasty warlord Zhu Wen ordered all the beacons to be upgraded with installations of bronze and iron, and for soldiers to be stationed to defend the towers. The beacon system was so effective that records exist of the last beacon transmission signals from an area north of the wall in 1644 AD. Often, beacon towers were built on hilltops north of the wall, possibly to help increase their height and ranges of visibility. During the Ming Dynasty, brick or stone towers were built, although some towers built from the Qing Dynasty were no more than simple watchtowers with additions to use as beacons. Today, no visible remnants of beacon towers remain, although apparently some are still recognizable from traces in the earth from aerial or satellite photography.
3. Cultural Significance
The Great Wall of China's cultural significance has long been recognized since the UNESCO designated the Great Wall of China as a World Heritage Site. In 1987, UNESCO listed the Great Wall as a World Heritage site. At that time, it was described as the world's biggest military structure. Its historic and strategic significance is now matched by its legend as a remarkable architectural achievement and its symbolic importance as a nationalistic icon. It is one of the most prestigious and instantly recognizable symbols of China across the world, and has become a global icon. A 2007 internet and media campaign of the "New Seven Wonders" has seen the Great Wall voted as one of the modern wonders of the world. A global vote involving 200 existing monuments provided an overall mark of approval to the Wall's status as a World Heritage site, and is evidence to decrease in previous apathy and destruction towards the Wall, and public recognition of its worldwide importance. The value of the Great Wall's cultural significance has been underpinned by the increase in promotion and conserved maintenance. It has since had a large increase in the monitoring and investigations into its current condition, and effects of climate on the Wall. The Chinese government had since formed a new regulation to reduce damage to the Wall from tourism. This regulation controls the total number of visitors and activities on the Wall and thus reduces the rate of Wall's degradation. A sustainable development strategy has been formed to save the World Heritage site as not only a monument from the past, but as an entity working for the present and future generations. This strategy attempts to preserve The Great Wall of China forever.
3.1 UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Great Wall became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1987. Some of the Wall's watchtowers have been used in the past as beacon towers. In 2002, the site was further enhanced by the inclusion of the steppes into the demilitarized zone in the nominator, extending the site area. In the region 2002-2003 several sections of the wall - including the 10-km "Water Pass" and "Overhanging Wall" in northern China and a 2-km section in the west - were also placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger at the request of the Chinese State Administration of Cultural Heritage and the Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage. The monitoring mission to the Great Wall site concluded that with enhanced management the conditions of these sections can be improved to meet their required conservation status. Consideration is now being given to removing these sections from the Danger List to complete their conservation in accordance with international standards. This will be beneficial to the region and the local inhabitants. The mission also concluded that the conservation of the wall will have long-term benefits for the local inhabitants as well as being a source of potential educational and significant tourist opportunities. The mission also emphasized an unprecedented commitment by the Chinese Government to conserve the entire Great Wall. This is being carried out to mitigate any adverse impacts from uncontrolled tourism and infrastructure projects, which may damage or destroy the remains of the wall. This also led to the unprecedented move to request the World Heritage Committee to consider setting a buffer zone for the Great Wall site on its properties in the near future. This requested buffer zone will provide an added level of protection to the wall and will be an excellent management tool for sustainable development in the region. The conservation and protection of the Great Wall remains a high priority by the local governments who viewed it as a significant monument that has potential to drive tourists to numerous rural regions in China.
3.2 Symbol of Chinese Identity
In the early 20th century, the Great Wall of China became a symbol of Chinese nationalism. Many Chinese immigrants to the United States and other Western countries came to view the Wall, and their Chinese cultural heritage, as a physical representation of their close relationship with the Chinese American community and their homeland. It was also a negative symbol of the "exclusion" of the Chinese from the United States and other areas to which they had emigrated. Replicas and pictures of the Wall, and other souvenirs sold in Chinatowns, became a way for Chinese Americans to connect with their cultural heritage and to make a statement about their ethnic pride, solidarity, and acceptance in society. At the same time, the Chinese American community was involved in advocating for the repeal of the exclusion acts and the reformation of immigration policies to be more inclusive of all people. In recent years, the significance of the Wall for Chinese Americans has changed. It is now primarily seen as a representation of their culture rather than their exclusion from other societies. During the restoration and excavation efforts of the 1980s and early 21st century, Chinese community and student organizations of the many places to which Chinese have emigrated have been heavily involved in fundraising and volunteering for the restoration cause. They often see it as a way to connect with their heritage and to promote understanding of Chinese culture to the West. This was seen as a large demonstration of the Wall's changing image and its meaning to different groups of people.
3.3 Tourist Attraction and Economic Impact
Data from the group of "12 Articles on Chinese Tourists," 2006, provides that sightseeing is the primary motivator for Chinese tourists. Globally, the most desirable souvenir for Chinese tourists is photos in front of cultural artifacts. This information demonstrates the potential tourist traffic generated by the Great Wall's status as a major cultural symbol. This tourist flow has benefited many other areas of the economy. The money brought in by domestic and international tourists is an obviously major form of revenue. Furthermore, the visitor economy is linked to a large number of other economic activities. This income can also be reinvested into the conservation and maintenance of cultural sites. An in-depth study of the visitor economy of the Great Wall will be conducted in a separate paper. It would appear that the high level of global recognition and appeal of the Great Wall has guaranteed its status as a solid source of revenue for the Chinese economy. Counterfactual history suggests that without global recognition the Wall may not have survived into present day due to the various stages of neglect and doubt surrounding its value to modern society. One could argue that the continued survival and rebuilding of the Great Wall has been its most successful economic venture.
4. Preservation and Restoration Efforts
The Great Wall's large scale continuously exposes it to the elements of nature and the impact of human activity. Pollution and acid rain have damaged some sections of the wall. Not all of the existing wall is in good condition, that is why preservation and restoration efforts are a key concern. The portions in Beijing Municipality are relatively well preserved, but in the outlying regions the condition is variable and some in perilous state of deterioration. An internal report presented to the State Council in 2002 described one third of the wall's length as already gone. In some places the condition is so bad that the remains might continue to disappear in the coming years. In 1986, the Great Wall of China was placed on the World Monuments Fund List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. The International Friends of the Great Wall was formed in 1988, with the aim of involving the global community in the conservation of the Wall. An agreement approving the Guidelines for the Conservation of The Great Wall was signed between the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the People's Republic of China in 2008. A number of natural and man-made processes and factors are complicit in the slow but steady destruction of the Great Wall. Erosion and landslides have caused bits of the wall to topple over while vegetative overgrowth and lichen and moss growth have covered the original construction and obscured inscriptions and designs. Rubble in particular is a regularly occurring problem. Sub-freezing temperatures cause frost heave which fractures walls and their foundation stones, which are sometimes removed by local villagers for use in constructing houses and walls. All of these issues contribute to the aesthetic and structural damage of the Great Wall of China.
4.1 Challenges in Conservation
Challenges in conservation: Among the many conservation concerns for the Great Wall of China, the absence of a systematic condition survey has become a primary issue. Without prioritizing which sections of the wall are in immediate need of maintenance, the contributions of individual projects are unable to be measured in terms of their overall impact. The Great Wall of China is an incredibly enormous structure consisting of numerous walls and watchtowers, spanning over 4,000 miles. Several of the more remote sections are rarely visited and receive no preventative maintenance. Due to the immense size and varied topography of the Wall, the causation and rate of deterioration is different for each section. The portion of the Wall which lies in a desert region has been buried by drifting sand, causing a unique set of problems for its preservation. Understanding the various threats to the different sections of the Wall and what methods are most effective in combating these problems is a complex issue.
4.2 Conservation Techniques and Materials
The methods and materials utilized in the Great Wall's conservation are vital to the project's success. In the past, many large-scale projects did more damage to the structure than a century's worth of natural erosion. Cultural concerns must also be addressed. Extraneous building materials and modern structures on the Wall not only compromise the ancient aesthetic, but also pose very real safety hazards for tourists and locals who wander the Wall. Conservation methods and materials outlined below have been shown to be effective in preserving the ancient structure. Many simple and effective techniques have been developed to combat the destruction of natural processes. Backfilling and terracing can help to stabilize the ground underneath the Wall and prevent erosion. In the Loess Plateau, one of the principal regions of Wall conservation, fast-growing grasses have been used to anchor the soil and prevent landslides. While the removal of plants from the Wall disrupts the tourist experience, they pose a significant threat to the structure by encouraging the colonization of insects. In recent years, efforts have been made to replace the old method of chemical eradication with more eco-friendly alternatives. Submersion trenches have been dug in attempts to lower the water table in the hopes that reduced humidity will serve to preserve the Wall. These simple methods have shown to be surprisingly effective. An extraordinary amount of research is currently being devoted to finding the most effective materials to use in the restoration of the Wall. In Wangjing Village, trials are being conducted to find the best material compositions for bricks and repair mortar. The mechanical properties of various materials are tested in a dedicated laboratory, where artificial weathering is used to simulate fifty years of natural erosion. The materials are then tested in the field and closely monitored to determine the most effective mix ratios and application methods for each. The success of this project could potentially save millions of dollars by determining the most long-lasting and effective materials for Wall restoration.
4.3 Collaborative Conservation Projects
In addition to initiatives by the Chinese government to preserve the Great Wall, there have been a number of collaborative efforts to conserve the Wall supported by organizations from various countries. One such example is the collaborative project between the People's Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Germany in which an experimental site has been established to examine factors leading to decay. The Sino-German cooperation has contributed significantly to the conservation and management of the Great Wall. Another international effort includes the Global Heritage Fund's (GHF) long-term conservation program. A five-year project was launched in 2002 at the request of the China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage alongside The World Monuments Fund, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, and the Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau. GHF's scope of work includes the development of site-management solutions, scientific conservation methodology, and building local and national support within China. This project is still ongoing and has shown massive progress since its beginning. The Great Wall of China has also been incorporated in World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism development and was a pilot site for the World Bank, "China: Historic Monuments at the Service of the People" project. These projects have shown that the Great Wall can serve as a key resource for sustainable tourist development supporting Chinese efforts today and those in the future. With an ever increasing support of international collaboration, the Great Wall will continue to benefit.
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Home / Essay Samples / Culture / Chinese Culture / The Great Wall of China by Ming Dynasty
The Great Wall of China by Ming Dynasty
- Category: Culture , History
- Topic: Chinese Culture , Chinese Dynasties , Ming Dynasty
Pages: 2 (698 words)
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- He defeated the Western Xia to the west, now called The Northwestern Chinese. This caused a threat to Jin but was helpful to The Mongols.
- Defeating the enemies that are up north to guarantee that the territory was safe and protected.
- He enlisted Jin’s army and this guarded the northwest section of Jin’s Great Wall, making the area a military base, that was used for attacking Jin.
- He unsettled the Jin garrison soldiers for his use.
- He collected information on Jin’s court from businessmen and representatives.
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