Almost every great nation and empire had to defend themselves against foreign attacks, and China is one of the best examples of this. China has built many defensive walls around its boundaries to prevent foreign invasions. The Great Wall of China is among history’s most renowned defensive walls and structures. Through this blog, we will learn about the Great Wall of China and its history and purpose.
Great Wall of China History
The Great Wall of China is a beautiful and complex defensive structure that prevents enemy attacks. There is no other comparable wall in this world. Because of its uniqueness and size, many contemporary and later historians and writers, Chinese and foreign, have written about its history. The process of the construction of the Great Wall of China and the renovations of different dynasties were special projects in Chinese history.
Who Built the Great Wall of China?
The Great Wall of China, one of the most remarkable feats of ancient engineering, is believed to have been constructed around 221 B.C. and was an interconnected series of stone forts with a road running alongside. The part we think of as the wall was built by the first Emperor of the Chin dynasty, Qin Shi Huang, who had started conquering other countries in 246 B.C. Walls had already protected the northern frontier of his empire, so he had these walls torn down and began to rebuild them as one huge wall from east to west.
What Was the Great Wall of China Built for?
The Great Wall of China has been a symbol of Chinese history and culture for over two thousand years and the only real wonder and one of 7 wonders of the ancient world that still exists today. It was primarily built as a defensive structure to protect ancient Chinese states and empires against attacks from northern nomadic groups like the Xiongnu, Mongols, Turks, Tanguts, and Manchus. The defensive wall structure helped the Chinese protect their borders, control border crossings, and impose customs duties.
What is the Great Wall of China made of?
The primary building materials for the Great Wall of China include rocks, crushed stones, sand, clay soil, and lime. Because natural conditions such as vegetation and topographic relief provided defenses and barriers against northwestern attacks, they often only needed to finish this natural defensive structure. However, the builders used masonry walls to strengthen their defenses in areas where these conditions were not found.
How Long Did It Take to Build the Great Wall of China?
The Great Wall of China was built over 2,300 years, from roughly 680 BC to 1681 AD. During this time, it was constructed, repaired, and expanded by numerous dynasties, with at least nine of them making major contributions.
From the Spring and Autumn Periods and the Warring States Period to the two Han Dynastys, in order to resist the invasion of the northern minority, the Great Wall of the early Zhao Dynasty was built. The relics of the walls of China are quite rare. Its length is about four thousand miles.
In the Western Han Dynasty, huge human and financial resources were made, and the expansion of the Great Wall into the integrated Great Wall rose. The rise of the Great Wall reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty. As is well known, the Great Wall is like a huge dragon, running in the northern part of China, and the beacon tower is its body. It was built out of brick, which is important for the nation.
How Was The Great Wall Built?
The Great Wall of China was constructed over many centuries using labor by soldiers, common people and criminals by using a wide range of tools, materials, and techniques. The Ming Dynasty made great use of bricks and stone. During the Ming dynasty, the use of brick was extensive, strengthening the wall to withstand harsh weather conditions and enemy attacks. The wall represented the efforts of ancient Chinese empires as a way of commercial route, a defense structure, and a communication line.
When Was the Great Wall of China Finished?
The Great Wall of China was first built in the seventh century B.C. The construction was highly demanding, and the unfavorable working conditions claimed many lives. Over 2,300 years, they were passed during construction, with important contributions from several dynasties, most notably the Qin and Ming. The Great Wall of China was constructed and rebuilt by several dynasties over the course of more than 2,000 years rather than all at once. The year that construction was “finished” is not known.
How long is the Great Wall of China?
The Great Wall snakes throughout the mountains of northern China. The wall is actually a collection of walls, what some have called “a great network of walls.” This wall and network was begun during the third century B.C., and it kept expanding into the fifteenth century. The Great Wall was never a continuously connected wall but a wall that was built up in parts in particular strategic locations. The Great Wall is so massive that it is visible from space. It is nearly 2,000 miles long and spread across the mountains of northern China.
Conclusion
The Great Wall of China is indeed a wonderful man-made structure with a very long and interesting history. The structure was primarily built to protect the boundaries of China from northern invaders. Though it was built with forced labor by soldiers, ordinary people, and criminals during harsh weather conditions, it is considered a great structure built by humans. Also, it has a great place in Chinese history and culture.
FAQs
Is the Great Wall of China visible from space?
It is said that the Great Wall of China can be seen from space, but that is not true. It can be seen only in good weather conditions with the help of magnification.
Where Does the Great Wall of China Start and End?
The Great Wall of China begins in Hebei Province’s Shanhai Pass (Shanhaiguan) on the eastern shore and ends in Gansu Province’s Jiayu Pass on the western coast.
How old is the Great Wall?
Many dynasties constructed the Great Wall of China over the course of 2000 years in Chinese history.
How tall is the Great Wall of China?
The Great Wall of China varies in height, ranging from 7 to 14 meters at different points.
How Many Miles is the Great Wall of China?
The Great Wall of China spans roughly 13,171 miles, from its eastern terminus at the Hushan Mountains in Liaoning Province to its western terminus at the Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu Province.