The Great Wall was a gigantic defence
work during ancient China. Seperate
walls were built in the 7th century B.
C. by small warring states. After the
unification of central China, Emperor
Qin Shihuang ordered in 214 B. C. to
link up those walls in the north to
prevent the Huns from coming to the
south. The construction continued over
10 years. The Great Wall undertook 18
major repairs and extensions over 200
years during the Ming Dynasty (1368 -
1644). It runs 6, 700 kilometers from
Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu Province in the
west to Shanhaiguan Pass in Hebei
Province in the east over six provinces
and Beijing and passes through high
mountains, broad grasslands and immense
deserts. Most of the Great Wall has
remained in good conditions.
The section of the Great Wall at
Badaling in Beijing is now a famous
tourist attraction. It is 8.5 meters
high with breast work of one meter high
and 5.7 meters wide at the top.
Juyong Pass
A point of strategic importance on the
road between Beijing and Inner Mongolia,
it is located between two sheer
mountains. " Piled Emerald at Juyong"
was one of the Eight Grand Sights in
Beijing during the Liao Dynasty.
Great Wall at Badaling
The section of the Great Wall runs up
and down a mountain ridge. Four watch
towers rise majestically on top of peaks
to its north and south.
Great Wall at Mutianyu
Great Wall
In 1368 General Xu Da of the Ming
Dynasty built the Great Wall from
Shanhaiguan to Mutianyu. The part in
Mutianyu, 70 kilometers from Beijing
City, is well known for its dangerous
terrain and beautiful surroundings.
Simatai Fort
Built during the Ming Dynasty, fort had
submerged in water long time ago. Not
far from it is the immense Miyun
Reservoir. The Great Wall undulates
gracefully among high mountain peaks.
The picture shows the " Two Dragons
Playing with a Pearl" at Simatai. |