History

But why did the ancient Chinese build this architecture? The Great Wall was built by ancient kingdoms to defend themselves and protect their territories. It all started in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 441 BC), which was a period when all seven kingdoms were fighting with each other. Many of these kingdoms built walls to protect themselves from attacks by other empires.

Then, in the qin dynasty (220-207 BC), the emperor put a lot of money and resources in to extending the Great Wall and extending it till the northern part of China. He wanted to protect his empire from the northern tribes, who were a threat for the kingdom (王其钧著).

Fast forward to Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644). The walls become longer, greater and stronger to make sure that the rebellions and northern tribes will not affect the empire. The emperor made the wall 1500 li longer (7500 km). Many parts was being strengthen with better materials (“History of Great Wall”).

Structure

Great Wall is not just a wall only, it is a whole military defense system! The Great Wall works like our body - our body need the heart, lungs, brain and other parts to work together to make sure that we survive. Same for the Great Wall, it also needs different structures like the ramparts, watch towers, beacon towers, fortresses, passes and many other parts to defeat the invasion of the enemy and protect the empire. This is the structure of Great Wall:

Ramparts & walls:

This is the main part of the Great Wall that connects different parts of the towers, fortresses, and passes together. It can pass through steep mountains, beaches, lands, and even forests. There are walls on both sides to prevent soldiers from falling down. On the walls, there are holes for the soldiers to observe the enemy (国家文物局网站) .

Fortified towers:

Fortified towers are used for soldiers to rest, store weapons, and observe the enemy. Many of them have two or three floors each. Most of the fortified towers are square or rectangular. Their height are around 10 - 12 m. The first floor allow them to store the weapons, the second and third tower are used for shooting and watching (Simatai Great Wall).

Beacon tower:

This is also called 'fire mound', they are also used for communication. The armies will light fire on the tower and this will help them to communicate and send signal whenever any thing happens (China tour guide).

Fortress and gate:

Fortresses are strong buildings that blocks enemy in the Great Wall. There are about 15 passes from the east to the west. The passes will help to defend the city from the attack of enemy.

How was the Great Wall built? —The story behind Great Wall

How was the Great Wall built? In the ancient time, there were no giant machines and robots that will move the materials or construct building for them. Every brick of the Great Wall is built by man and women at that time. A large building like the Great Wall requires a lot of man power and resources.

The worker of the Great Wall were mostly solders, peasants and the prisoners. They would build these gigantic walls under many dangerous environments like the steep mountains. Many of them died or get injured when they are building the Great Wall.

Conclusion

The Great Wall is one of the largest structures ever to exist. It is not just a building; it represents thousands of years of history, a story of war and conflict, the result of the efforts of many people, and evidence of the wisdom of the Chinese people.