The Great Wall of China is one of the great structures I long to visit. The history of this wall starts from the earliest period and even today is a still a major point of interest in China. Tien describes the history of the wall and how it was an important fortification during Mongol invasions.
Historical Context:
The Great Wall was begun around 2000 years ago during the Zhao State period but the main early construction linking existing structures was undertaken during the Qin Dynasty by the Emperor Qin, who was responsible for the Terracotta Warriors from 221 – 206 BC. Qin Shihuangdi unified China by conquering independent states know as the Warring States. In order to defend his new unified country against invading nomads, Qin Shihuangdi built the first long wall in China. According to Chinese legend, more than 800,000 soldiers, peasants and prisoners worked for 10 years to build it. Over the years, the wall fell into ruins and other walls were built by other emperors to keep out invaders wherever they appeared. In 1449, the Mongols attacked China and kidnapped Zhu Qizhen, Son of Heaven, sixth emperor of the Ming dynasty and ruler of all China. Once again, power had shifted to the Mongol invaders and they threatened to invade the Forbidden City in Beijing. The Chinese people were so frightened of the Mongols being in power again that they decided to once again build a wall to keep invaders out.
Summary:
There was no master plan for re-building and adding to this wall during Mongol Invasions. Each leader in a given town built a portion of the wall 
where they thought the Mongols threat of invasion was the greatest. Construction across northern China continued in this way for 200 years. This way the routes through mountain passes that the Mongols used most often to reach China were blocked with walls. Those walls were then connected with other sections of wall, thus creating the Great Wall of China.
How does it work? In the western part of China, the wall was constructed out of pounded earth. In the eastern part of China, the city of Beijing, workers used bricks and blocks of stone. Many workers were needed to build the wall. Peasants and prisoners were used to make of pounded earth, and stonemasons and brick makers were needed to make of brick and stone. Tens of thousands of men were involved in building the Great Wall of China that ran 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles). The Great Wall was 10 to 15 meters (33 to 49 feet) high. Along the wall, they built forts and watch towers. The Great Wall’s main defensive purpose was as a signaling outpost more than a standing army garrison. Many sections of the wall were in desolate places, and food and quarters had to be supplied via narrow paths to the wall where they are pulled over the side in baskets. Hence, it was not possible to have troops stationed in big numbers to anticipate an attack. The fast riding nomadic horsemen to the north of China could congregate and attack any section of the wall and breach at will. However, with the alarm given at any sector, reinforcement could be sent to counter the attack. Soldiers patrolled the walls sending up smoke signals and cannon shot as communication signals if Mongols approached. The Chinese had a system of smoke signal in which one smoke was for 100 enemies, two smokes for 500 and three smokes for 1000. An attack could thus be communicated for a thousand km within a few hours.
There is a legend of a lady called Meng Jiangnu, who went seeking for her husband at the Great Wall. She made a coat to protect her husband from the northern cold, but then she found that her husband has died while helping to construct the wall, and was entombed under the Great Wall. She cried with so much sorrow that heaven took pity on her. A section of the wall then broke off, exposing her husband’s remains so she could offer him a decent burial.
The wall was built to shape and fit the Chinese landscape it passed through. In the hilly areas, it twisted and turned like a dragon and in the desert, it ran straight. At its eastern end, the Great Wall of China ran into the sea. The Great Wall shows the wealth of China and the technique that they built to be able to protect the country and stop the invaders. William Lindesay who founded the group International Friends of the Great Wall has said, “The Great Wall shows itself as something more than a building, it is a succession of varied landscapes, more than history alone, but part of the country’s geography that has attracted the attention of cartographers for centuries”. In 1987 the Great Wall was added to the World Heritage List, one of the first heritage sites in China.
where they thought the Mongols threat of invasion was the greatest. Construction across northern China continued in this way for 200 years. This way the routes through mountain passes that the Mongols used most often to reach China were blocked with walls. Those walls were then connected with other sections of wall, thus creating the Great Wall of China.How does it work? In the western part of China, the wall was constructed out of pounded earth. In the eastern part of China, the city of Beijing, workers used bricks and blocks of stone. Many workers were needed to build the wall. Peasants and prisoners were used to make of pounded earth, and stonemasons and brick makers were needed to make of brick and stone. Tens of thousands of men were involved in building the Great Wall of China that ran 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles). The Great Wall was 10 to 15 meters (33 to 49 feet) high. Along the wall, they built forts and watch towers. The Great Wall’s main defensive purpose was as a signaling outpost more than a standing army garrison. Many sections of the wall were in desolate places, and food and quarters had to be supplied via narrow paths to the wall where they are pulled over the side in baskets. Hence, it was not possible to have troops stationed in big numbers to anticipate an attack. The fast riding nomadic horsemen to the north of China could congregate and attack any section of the wall and breach at will. However, with the alarm given at any sector, reinforcement could be sent to counter the attack. Soldiers patrolled the walls sending up smoke signals and cannon shot as communication signals if Mongols approached. The Chinese had a system of smoke signal in which one smoke was for 100 enemies, two smokes for 500 and three smokes for 1000. An attack could thus be communicated for a thousand km within a few hours.
There is a legend of a lady called Meng Jiangnu, who went seeking for her husband at the Great Wall. She made a coat to protect her husband from the northern cold, but then she found that her husband has died while helping to construct the wall, and was entombed under the Great Wall. She cried with so much sorrow that heaven took pity on her. A section of the wall then broke off, exposing her husband’s remains so she could offer him a decent burial.
The wall was built to shape and fit the Chinese landscape it passed through. In the hilly areas, it twisted and turned like a dragon and in the desert, it ran straight. At its eastern end, the Great Wall of China ran into the sea. The Great Wall shows the wealth of China and the technique that they built to be able to protect the country and stop the invaders. William Lindesay who founded the group International Friends of the Great Wall has said, “The Great Wall shows itself as something more than a building, it is a succession of varied landscapes, more than history alone, but part of the country’s geography that has attracted the attention of cartographers for centuries”. In 1987 the Great Wall was added to the World Heritage List, one of the first heritage sites in China.
Questions:
Why did the Chinese people throw the workers who died during the Great Wall project under the wall?
Were there rebellions from the workers who worked on this project during the Ming Dynasty?
About our Blogger:
My name is Tien Nguyen and I am a sophomore. I like to draw and love to read adventure books and watch TV. I really want to travel to China to visit the Great Wall of China. Although I lived in Vietnam for several years, I still didn’t have a chance to go to China. When I was little, I heard someone told me that there were many people buried under the Great Wall. It brought my interest at that time. That’s why I want to learn and understand more about the history of China and the Great Wall
Why did the Chinese people throw the workers who died during the Great Wall project under the wall?
Were there rebellions from the workers who worked on this project during the Ming Dynasty?
About our Blogger:
My name is Tien Nguyen and I am a sophomore. I like to draw and love to read adventure books and watch TV. I really want to travel to China to visit the Great Wall of China. Although I lived in Vietnam for several years, I still didn’t have a chance to go to China. When I was little, I heard someone told me that there were many people buried under the Great Wall. It brought my interest at that time. That’s why I want to learn and understand more about the history of China and the Great Wall
