Great Wall of China
by: Jeff Anderson
The Great Wall of China as some believed originated as a military fortification
against intrusion by tribes on the borders during the earlier Zhou Dynasty.
In 770-BC-476BC, the ducal states extended the defense work, and built
large structures to prevent the attacks from other states. The Great
Wall of China was eventually separated during the Qin Dynasty, which
preceded the Zhou Dynasty. The Zhao, Qin, and Yan kingdoms were connected
to form a defensive system on the northern border of the country of
Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. In 214 BC the building of the Great Wall of
China was on its way. The Great Wall of China took as long as ten years
to build.
The Great Wall of China took hundreds of thousands of laborers working
daily beyond human limitations to construct and build. Many persons
that did not work were thrown into the foundation trenches starving
from hunger and exposure of the earths changing weathers. The Great
Wall of China was then called The Longest Cemetery on Earth. Buried
beneath its structure were more than 400,000 persons.
The Great Wall was stretched from Linzhao (eastern part of Gansu Province),
in the west to Liaodong (Jilin Province) in the east. The Great Wall
of China served as both a defense and symbolized the power of the emperor.
The Great Wall of China was partly successful in repelling invading
Mongol forces more than a century ago.
The Great Wall of China has more than 300 million trees, and its purpose
was to serve as a barrier from the dust storms that swept into China
from the Gobi Desert and other low-rainfall areas. The Great Wall of
China was dubbed This Great Green Wall. During the 50's, the city of
Beijing was beset by 10 to 20 dust storms every spring. Visibility was
only half a mile for 30 to 90 hours each month. By the 1970's the storms
had reduced resulting in greater visibility at less than ten hours per
month. The reduction made work easier for the many laborers.
The Great Wall of China towered China's mountains, plunging to the
lower valleys, and marching across burning desert plains. Very cold
winds coupled with snowstorms, made it very difficult for workers. At
the same time raging desert sun and stinging sandstorms oppressed the
workers, making their jobs difficult, and often risky.
Today the Great Wall of China is a captivation for tourists around
the world.
About The Author: Jeff Anderson knows about China. He
knows what to look for and what pitfalls to avoid. Let him guide you
to finding out more about China. Contact him at Jeff@culchina.com or
visit the blog at his site www.culchina.com.
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