-THE GREAT WALL- |
The Chinese call this wonder of the world and United Nations Cultural heritage Site "The long wall of 10,000 Li". The west knows it as The Great Wall of China. It is quite possibly the largest, longest, most expensive and enduring construction project ever fashioned in the history of human civilization. The bricks used in the wall could construct roughly 1000 of the Great Pyramids in Egypt. Were it built in the world of today, it would cost a staggering US$50 trillion- an impossible cost.What we see as the Great Wall today is in fact the design of the Mind dynasty. The Wall itself shares its origins with the Middle Kingdom itself. The first emperor Qin Shihuangdi felt the need to secure his newly united empire of Qin and so the work began to construct a rampart unlike any other in the world at that time and extending to modern day. It was made of alternating layers of packed or rammed earth, dried wood and stone; the sentry towers were an innovation of later dynasties hoping to improve on the construction.
First built in under 10 years, not only was it the costliest construction but also the deadliest; it is said that for every 100 yards of Great Wall, 10 people died for its construction.
- Section 1- Introduction
- Section 2- Construction
- Section 3- Gates and Passes
- Section 4- Role in Modern Warfare
SEE Also:
Table of Contents ::
Heritage
Great Wall | Grand Canal | Terra Cotta Army