Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: August 19, 2022 | 
| 中文
The Great Wall of China
It was widely believed for centuries that the Great Wall of China is visible to the naked eye from the moon. Although this popularly-held myth popularized by the British antiquarians has been debunked by NASA, it aptly indicates that the astonishing Great Wall of China is unbelievably gigantic and stretches over miles. The total length of the Great Wall, primarily built to hinder the invaders' assaults, was estimated to be around 8850 km, however, recent surveys and studies have indicated that the length of the Wall is 21,196.18km (13,170.6956 miles), which makes it the largest man-made structure in the world. The height and width of the Wall vary in different places, but it is around 30 feet tall on average, 15-30 feet wide at the base, and 9-12 feet wide across the top.
A section of the Great Wall in 1907
Known as the 'Long Wall of 10,000 Li' in China, the Great Wall is a series of walls, barracks, fortifications and earthen works, built over centuries. Li is a unit of measurement in China, which is approximately one-third of a mile, and the name 'Long Wall of 10000 Li' was used to indicate the length of the Wall. During the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) and before that when China was not a unified nation, it was often invaded by the northern nomadic tribes, like the Eurasians, the Mongols and those of Central Asia. It compelled Chinese leaders and kings in various regions to build long walls and earthen structures around their areas to protect themselves from the invaders. According to Chinese historians, the first wall that was built for protection from invaders is the 'Chu State Great Wall', built in 600 BC, the remnants of which still exist in the Henan Province of China. The most ancient surviving structure of that period, estimated to be around 2500 years old, is the hard-packed soil structure, known as the 'rammed earth', located in the Shandong province of China.
The Old Dragon Head, where the Great Wall meets the sea in the vicinity of Shanhai Pass
The founder of the Qin dynasty, Qin Shi Huang (220-206 BC), who unified the Chinese nation, masterminded the project of joining various walls built over the centuries. The walls are mostly made of bricks, stones, wood, sand rocks, quarried granite and even marble. As the construction techniques improved, the walls were renovated to strengthen the defense structures. After the Qin era, various dynasties, more prominently, the Ming Dynasty, built new walls and barracks and maintained the already built structures. The Ming Dynasty built watchtowers and platforms in the Great Wall of China. Moreover, most of the existing structures of the Great Wall have Ming-era influences. The Han Dynasty (220 BC – 9 AD) built walls on the western sides of its region to protect the Silk Route trade from attackers.
The remnants of the Great Wall of Han Dynasty near Yumenguan
The timeline of the construction of the Great Wall shows continuation, as the Ming Dynasty continued from where the Qin left. Although strenuous efforts were put into the wall project, it was far from being impenetrable. It was interspersed with gaps and had structural flaws in various places, due to which it was often penetrated by the invading Mongols, who were better equipped technologically at the time. When the Chinese rule extended beyond mainland China to Mongolia and other regions by the 17th century, the requirement of the Great Wall as a defensive barrier lessened to a great extent.
With the advent of modern weaponry, the Great Wall completely lost its relevance as a defense against invaders. However, its cultural and historical significance for the Chinese people has only increased with time, as this historical monument has rightfully been glorified in China's folklore and ancient poetry. It symbolizes China's strength, endurance and perseverance against foreign invasions in poems. Famous Chinese poet, Tu Fu (712-770 AD), mentions the Great Wall in these words:
A map of The Great Wall of China
"Built upon miles and miles of mountains,
Dotted with strong fortresses both on hilltops and ridges.
Weathering three thousand years of wind and rain,
Transforms into dancing dragon in earth's hilly forest."
The Great Wall has archeological significance as well, coupled with its cultural and historical importance. There are approximately 43,700 heritage sites on the Great Wall, which include forts, barracks, small homes etc. According to CNN, only 8.2 of the Wall is intact, while the rest of the structure is in shambles and needs immediate attention and repair. When the Wall took on the role of the 'cultural ambassador' of China's glorious past in the 20th century, the renovation, restoration and rebuilding efforts were expedited. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1987, and is also listed in "The New Seven Wonders of the World", along with the Taj Mahal and others.
An inside view of a watchtower
In the last few decades, the Great Wall of China has become one of the most famous man-made structures in the world. It attracts millions of tourists yearly, and the 50-mile stretch of the Wall near Beijing reportedly attracts thousands of tourists daily. The need of the hour is that this great structure is preserved and renovated, so that future generations could see the architectural achievements of their ancestors.
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