The construction of The Wall had begun in the 5th century BC by the Qin Dynasty in their attempt to to protect the kingdom from foreign invaders. The Wall is about 4,000 miles (6,400 km) long and up to 26 feet (8 meters) in height. Many parts of the structure were made of bricks, although some earlier parts were made of stones, earth, and tiles. However, there are a few facts you might not have known about it.
1. It took 1,800 years to build The Great Wall
In their efforts to keep out foreign invaders, the Qin Dynasty built several fortifications. In the 8th century BC, they also built some barriers to repel enemies. When Qin Shi Huang ruled in 221 BC, he began to construct a 5,000-kilometer wall to protect the kingdom. The construction was progressed and finished by the next ruling dynasties.
2. The Great Wall Is A Collection of Smaller Walls
The Great Wall of China is not a long united structure, but a 20,000-kilometer network of smaller walls across the ancient Chinese territories.
3. Traditional Building Materials Were Used
The Great Wall is largely crafted from traditional building materials like earth and stone. Moreover, glutinous rice (or sticky rice) was mixed into the mortar paste to help strengthen The Wall.
4. The Construction Workers Were Mostly Convicts and Soldiers
Under the reign of the Qin Dynasty, the construction and maintenance of the structure were given to convicts and soldiers. The work was so dangerous that 400,000 workers perished in the construction process.
5. Honoring the Dead with A Rooster
To keep the spirits of the dead from being trapped forever within the structure that had costed them their lives, the family members would cross over the Great Wall in a tow.
6. The Great Wall Was Predicted in An Ancient Poem
A collection of ancient Chinese poems, Shijing, were written between the 11th and 7th centuries BC, predicting the future construction of the Great Wall of China to repel foreign invaders.
7. Many Temples Were Built to Honore Some Figures
General Guan Yu of the Han Dynasty is honored with temples built on the Great Wall.
8. The Great Wall Had Failed at Keeping Out Invaders
Despite all the effort that went into making Great Wall the primary part of the kingdom’s defense, many invaders had managed to cross the Wall. Manchurian invasion through the Wall in the 17th century resulted in the fall of the Ming Dynasty
9. The Wall Is Not Visible from Space
Reliable sources, including the astronaut Neil Armstrong emphasized that the Great Wall is by not visible from space. It can only be spotted from a low orbit on a clear sunny day.
10. Thousands of Miles of the Original Wall Have Disappeared
The existing elements of the Great Wall of China stretch for 13,171 miles which means that about 1,200 miles of the original construction no longer stands today.
11. Parts of The Great Wall Were Recycled to Build Houses
During as the Cultural Revolution on the 20th century, Mao Zedong and the Red Guard considered the Great Wall as merely a relic whose materials would better serve in building civilian houses.
12. Certain Existing Part of The Great Wall Might Disappear in The Future
Weather and human are the key reasons why certain parts of the Great Wall might disappear before 2040. Parts of the Great Wall in Gansu Province are currently in danger.
13. New Sections of the Great Wall Are Still Being Discovered
New stretches of the Great Wall have been discovered in 2012. In the past decade, archaeologists have located some of the northernmost sections yet to be identified, standing on the border of present day Mongolia.
14. The Great Wall Has Many Names
Among the people of the United States of America, United Kingdom, France and Germany, “The Great Wall of China” is commonly used, while other Western nations prefer a to use: “The Chinese Wall.” Within China, the Wall is known as “The 10,000-Li-Long Wall” and “The Long Wall of 10,000 Li”. Over time, the Wall earned new names, including “The Purple Frontier” and “The Earth Dragon”. Ultimately, China christened the Wall with a simple but appropriate name: “The Long Wall”.
15. The End of The Great Wall of China
Any idea? See the photo below.
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Photo: Freeimages.com/Vorarlberg; likeyesterday / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA
Bagikan
The End of The Great Wall of China and 14 Fun Facts
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