The Great Wall of China is one of the most visited places on the planet. Since its foundation, there have been many legends, secrets and discussions among the people. They are connected with the history of its construction, with the question in which direction the loopholes of the Chinese Wall are directed. One thing is certain - this is the greatest structure created by human hands.
Description and location of the attraction
The Wall of China is considered the largest historical monument of architecture in the world. According to official sources, the history of the Chinese Wall began a very long time ago. The construction of such a large-scale fortification started in the 3rd century BC. e., during the reigning Qin Dynasty, under the leadership of Emperor Shi Huang.
Subsequently, it was erected in separate sections, at different times and under different rulers. It is impossible to say that it was a solid structure. Some gaps were erected in the northern provinces, others in the Gobi desert, and still others in the mountainous regions near Beijing. But for the most part theywere earth ramparts with a fortress and a stone wall in a strategically important zone and were intended for defense and protection of the territory. That's why the Chinese Wall was built. Something similar was built in Russia and the Roman Empire.
The thickness of the Chinese wall varies from 5 to 8 meters, and the height - from 6 to 10 meters in different places. Apart from numerous branches, it is located along the Tien Shan mountain range, passing through spurs, rises and gorges.
Length
The official figure for the length of the Wall of China is 8850 kilometers. Here it is worth emphasizing once again that it was not built at once, but over 2700 years. While in one place it was just being settled, in another it was completely abandoned.
The exact number depends on the counting method. In 2012, a five-year study by local scientists was published in the media. According to him and the calculations carried out, the length of the Chinese Wall is 21,196 kilometers. Nevertheless, the official community is in no hurry to recognize this information. To date, research continues.
The task is complicated by the disappearance of many construction sites due to climate change and desertification of soils. According to the China Great Wall Academy, only 30% of the wall is in good condition.
Purpose and functions of the wall
Emperor of China Shihuangdi ordered to start construction of the structurein order to defend the conquered territory. The loopholes of the Chinese Wall also helped to perform this function. However, it did not completely stop the raiders; small groups of nomads quite easily overcame this barrier. In fact, it was an obstacle, not a military structure. The sentries guarding the fort were not supposed to fight the enemy. Their main task was to warn the nearest garrisons of danger by lighting signal fires. This is one of the purposes of the Great Wall of China.
She had many other functions as well. For example, the Great Silk Road crossed the wall three times, therefore, travelers passed customs control three times, paid a fee and were searched for smuggling. The loopholes of the Chinese Wall helped track traffic from both sides. Migration control was also carried out here.
Besides, the wall served as a transport function. It was easy and quick to get to your destination. Even during the period of heavy rains, the road did not deliver, which greatly accelerated the movement.
How old is the Great Wall of China?
The first mention of the building dates back to 476-221. BC e. The walls were erected to protect against the raids of nomads and neighboring states. In the III century BC. e. The emperor of China ordered construction to begin to protect his territories. The next Han Dynasty continued the work he had begun. At the same time, the famous Jade Gate outpost was being built. The loopholes of the Chinese Wall are located on both sides of it almost throughoutobject.
After the end of the Han Dynasty, the construction of the wall is practically suspended. Only in some places are fortifications built to protect against northern nomads, most of them have not survived to our time.
With the advent of the ruling Ming dynasty, which defeated the Tatar-Mongol yoke in the XIV century, the construction of the wall undergoes a rebirth. A more powerful and high brick fortification with towers and embrasures began to be actively built. It is in this form that today's tourists are accustomed to seeing the structure. When visiting sights, they are often interested in: why are the loopholes of the Chinese Wall directed towards China? Why is it not completed?
The answer is simple, at least to one of the questions. By the middle of the 17th century, the Ming dynasty had been overthrown. The new government did not demolish the wall, but it did not continue to build it either.
Loss of human lives
Who built the Chinese wall? According to an ancient legend, a girl who lost her husband at this construction site during the reign of Emperor Shi Huang cried so much that the stronghold collapsed. Inside, she saw thousands of buried bodies, found a loved one and buried, as required by tradition. This legend is very popular among the Chinese, but there is no reliable data on the death toll at this construction site.
Of course, the working conditions were very difficult, but the horrifying details are clearly exaggerated. During the reign of the Ming, the wall was built by soldiers and artisans. In some parts of the building you can seebricks with the names of factories where they were made.
Destruction and restoration
After the overthrow of the Ming, the ruling Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) treated the wall with obvious indifference. As a result, for almost three centuries, the structure has dilapidated and collapsed in places. Only the section from Beijing to Badaling was properly maintained as it served as a gateway to the capital.
In 1984, restoration work began, financed by Chinese and foreign patrons, as well as large companies. Despite all efforts, the sites of the structure, remote from the tourist areas, are still in a deplorable state. In some places, the wall is dismantled, using stone for construction, in others it collapses as a result of the laying of highways and other objects. The loopholes of the Chinese Wall, which are also a tourist attraction, disappear from sight.
Due to active agriculture in China, groundwater is drying up, powerful sandstorms are more often born in the region. So, in the province of Gansu, a seventy-kilometer section of the wall is eroded, and for 40 km everything has completely disappeared. In some places, where the height of the structure reached five meters, this value decreased to two. In 2012, a 36-meter section of the wall was completely destroyed in Hebei province as a result of heavy rains.
What does it symbolize?
For foreigners who visited China, the Great Wall symbolized protection from the outside world, and at times was a sign of xenophobia andlack of diplomacy in foreign policy. This is exactly how members of the imperial family and Chinese officials behaved with whom the first European travelers had to deal.
Partly the interest of visiting foreigners brought the Chinese closer to the largest building in the world. Until the 19th century, the Wall of China was associated with terrible legends about Emperor Shi Huang and almost forgotten battles with the Mongols. Only thanks to the lively interest on the part of foreigners did the reassessment of the significance of the border fortification begin. For the Chinese themselves, it is a symbol of unimaginable accomplishments that can be achieved with perseverance and diligence.
Is the wall a reliable defense?
It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. On the one hand, a lot of effort, money and time were spent on its construction. Overseers were even punished for bad work and embezzlement. On the other hand, the generals themselves opened the gates for the Manchu troops, who subjugated all of China. There are cases when the Mongol troops surrounded Beijing, once even capturing the emperor. At the same time, more than once, thanks to powerful fortifications, it was possible to recapture the borders of the state from the army of thousands of nomadic tribes.
It is more correct to perceive the Great Wall of China as a defensive, and not as a protective structure. This duality can explain the theory why the loopholes of the Chinese Wall are directed towards China and why they are located both to the right and to the left for a long distance. The enemy could be on both sides.
Assumption of non-Chinese heritage
Periodically in the press and on television there are suggestions about the alien origin of the wall. It should be said right away that they are groundless.
The theory is based on the facts of the location of the loopholes of the Chinese Wall, which are directed to both sides of it, that is, inland too. There is a logical explanation for this. Easily overcoming the wall, small groups of nomads headed inland, it was almost impossible to overtake them. Moving back with the loot, and this was not only horses and money, but also any other items that had value in the steppe (ceramics, bags of rice and grain), they faced the problem of transporting them over the wall. It was then that the defenders could give them a fight.
Irrefutable paper evidence from the Chinese side. The historical archives contain plans, estimates, reports on the construction and maintenance of the Great Wall, which leave no doubt that it was built by local residents.
Chinese Wall as a landmark
The trip to the structure is the most popular tour in China. Tourists visiting the country for the first time should head north from the capital, where the most interesting sections of the wall are located.
When planning an independent trip, it is recommended to visit the Badaling area, there are regular trains from Beijing to it. For an excursion as part of a tourist group, the Mutianyu section in the vicinity of the capital is considered optimal. As a rule, guided tours are combined with a visit to the tombs of the emperors. Ming dynasty.
Only by seeing such a large-scale structure with your own eyes, you can imagine how much work has been invested in its construction, understand why the Chinese consider it their national pride.
Interesting facts
Let's look at some details about this attraction:
- The Great Wall of China is considered the largest structure in the history of mankind, here it even bypassed the Egyptian pyramids.
- Its average thickness is 6 meters.
- One end of the wall rests on the sea.
- The Chinese used rice porridge mixed with lime as a solution.
- Every year over forty million tourists come to see the attraction.
- The Great Wall of China is not considered an ancient wonder of the world.
- The fortified structure that tourists see today has been restored, as the wall was partially plundered in the last century to build private houses.
- Since 1977, China has introduced a fine for spoiling it.
- The image of the Great Wall is not on any monetary unit of China.
- Inhabitants of the Celestial Empire call the building "The Wall of 10,000 Li". One li is equal to 500 meters.
- According to a survey, the Chinese wall is recognized as the country's number one symbol, it is ahead of Peking duck, panda, Mao Zedong and Confucius.
- Three times a year it hosts charity races, in which anyone can participate.
- Wall depicted on Chinese visas.
- Many commercials have been filmed at the facility, including international companies andclips of world famous stars.
Can it be seen from space?
Many people wonder if the Wall of China can be seen from space without instruments. According to numerous calculations and studies, as well as surveys of astronauts, there is only one answer: the structure is not visible to the naked eye. To see such an object, a person must have vision seven times sharper.
The average width of a wall is six meters. There are streets in the world that are larger. However, from space it is realistic to see only the outlines of the widest objects of them. Among other things, the Chinese Wall is almost the same color as the surrounding landscape.
