The Great Wall is reputed as one of the seven
construction wonders in the world not only for its long history,
but its massive construction size, and its unique architectural
style as well.
The construction of the Great Wall began between the 7th and
8th centuries B.C. when the warring states built defensive walls
to ward off enemies from the north. It was only a regional project
then. Until the Qin Dynasty, the separate walls were joint together
and consequently it stretched from east to west for about 5000
thousand kilometers and served to keep nomadic tribes out. The
Wall was further extended and strengthened in the succeeding dynasties.
Especially during the Ming dynasty when the northern nomadic ethnic
groups became very powerful, the Ming rulers had the Wall renovated
18 times.
As a result, not the remains from the Qin dynasty were restored,
but some 1000 kilometers were constructed to a full length of
6,700 kilometers.
The architectural style of the Great wall is a marvel in the
history of construction in the world. Since the weaponry only
consisted of swords and spears, lances and halberds, and bows
and arrows in the ancient times, walls with passes, watchtowers,
signal towers, together with moats became an important strategy.
To ensure the safety of the dynasties, the feudal rulers strove
to improve the construction of the Great Wall after it took shape
in the Qin dynasty. In particular, the Ming dynasty saw the creation
of a sophisticated defense system along the wall embracing garrison
towns, garrison posts, passes,
blockhouses, additional wall structures, watchtowers and beacon
towers, each given a different status and designed mission. The
system enabled the imperial court to stay in touch with military
and administrative agencies at various levels, including those
at the grassroots, and provided the frontier troops with facilities
to carry out effective defense
The Great wall we see today is mostly from the Ming dynasty.
With an average height of 10 meters and a width of 5 meters, the
wall runs up and down along the mountain ridges and valleys from
east to west. It stands as a witness of the Chinese history, culture
and development.
|
Hot
Article