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The Great Wall of China is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a popular tourist destination, consisting of fortifications built along the northern borders of Imperial China to protect against nomadic groups and later joined by successive dynasties.
Key Points
- The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built along the northern borders of China to protect against raids and invasions.
- It stretches over 13,000 miles and was constructed over centuries by various Chinese dynasties.
- The wall consists of various materials, including brick, tamped earth, stone, and wood.
- The Great Wall attracts millions of tourists every year and has been featured in various films, books, and documentaries.
- Despite popular belief, no human remains have been found within the wall.
Summaries
253 word summary
The Great Wall of China is a fortification system that was built in sections starting in the 7th century BCE and was unified during the Qin Dynasty in the 3rd century BCE. It runs for over 4,000 miles across China and is made of earth, rubble, brick, or stone. Recent research suggests that the wall may be even longer than previously thought. Despite debates about its effectiveness and cost, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World. The wall attracts millions of tourists every year and has been featured in various films, books, and documentaries. The Ming Great Wall is the most famous stretch with over 10,000 wall sections, ramparts, trenches, individual buildings, and fortifications associated with it. The wall was historically important for defense against enemy movements, and signal towers, wooden gates, barracks, stables, and armories were built near the wall's inner surface. The Great Wall saw nearly 10 million visitors in 2018, prompting a daily limit of 65,000 visitors in 2019. The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built along the northern borders of Imperial China to protect against nomadic groups. The best-known sections were built by Qin Shi Huang and later joined by successive dynasties. Its path also served as a transportation corridor and allowed for border controls. The wall was built using various materials, including stone and earth, and was not originally intended as a permanent border. Today, it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
452 word summary
The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built along the northern borders of Imperial China to protect against nomadic groups. The best-known sections were built by Qin Shi Huang and later joined by successive dynasties. The wall spans over 21,000 km and includes watchtowers, troop barracks, and garrison stations. Its path also served as a transportation corridor and allowed for border controls. The wall was built using various materials, including stone and earth, and was not originally intended as a permanent border. It was built during the Ming dynasty to defend against Mongol raids, with up to 25,000 watchtowers estimated to have been constructed. The human cost of construction is unknown. Today, it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Great Wall of China spans over 13,000 miles and was built by various dynasties using a variety of materials. The Ming Great Wall is the most famous stretch, with over 10,000 wall sections, ramparts, trenches, individual buildings, and fortifications associated with it. The wall was historically important for defense against enemy movements, and signal towers, wooden gates, barracks, stables, and armories were built near the wall's inner surface. The wall is not visible to the naked eye from the moon, but can be seen from space in disrepair in many locations. The Mutianyu section is one of the first to be renovated following the Cultural Revolution, and Juyong Pass and Badaling are popular tourist destinations. The Great Wall saw nearly 10 million visitors in 2018, prompting a daily limit of 65,000 visitors in 2019. The Great Wall of China is a fortification system that was built in sections starting in the 7th century BCE and was unified during the Qin Dynasty in the 3rd century BCE. It runs for over 4,000 miles across China and is made of earth, rubble, brick, or stone. Recent research suggests that the wall may be even longer than previously thought. Despite its importance as a cultural icon, there have been debates about the effectiveness and cost of building such a massive structure throughout history. The wall has been the subject of various historical accounts, including those by William of Rubruck and John of Pian de Carpine. The Great Wall of China is a popular tourist destination and subject of much research. There have been concerns about the deterioration of the wall, but new laws have been put in place to protect it. The wall consists of various materials, including brick, tamped earth, stone, and wood. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World. The Great Wall attracts millions of tourists every year and has been featured in various films, books, and documentaries.
1513 word summary
The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built along the northern borders of China to protect against raids and invasions. It stretches over 13,000 miles and was constructed over centuries by various Chinese dynasties. The wall consists of various materials, including brick, tamped earth, stone, and wood. The wall was not continuous but rather a series of fortifications built in strategic locations. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World. The Great Wall attracts millions of tourists every year and has been featured in various films, books, and documentaries. The Great Wall of China is a historical landmark that runs across China. It was built between 221 BC and AD 1644 and has been the subject of many books and articles. Some sources claim that it can be seen from space, but this is a myth. The wall has also undergone some modernization efforts, including being covered in cement in some areas. The Great Wall of China is a popular tourist destination and subject of much research. There have been concerns about the deterioration of the wall, but new laws have been put in place to protect it. Despite popular belief, no human remains have been found within the wall. Sticky rice mortar was used in its construction and it is longer than previously thought, with new sections being discovered. The Jiaoshan Great Wall is a notable section located near Shanhaiguan ancient city. There are limits on the number of visitors allowed to the wall. The history of the wall has been documented in various sources, including travel reports and religious texts. The Great Wall of China is a fortification system that dates back to the 7th through the 4th century BC, with parts of it connected by the first emperor of a united China, Shihuangdi. The traditional eastern terminus of the wall was at Shanhai Pass on the coast of the Bohai, extending for some 6,690 km without its branches and other secondary sections. Recent research suggests that the wall may be even longer than previously thought. The wall has been the subject of various historical accounts, including those by William of Rubruck and John of Pian de Carpine. The wall has also been featured in various works of literature, including The Great Wall: The extraordinary history of China's wonder of the world by John Man. Despite its importance as a cultural icon, there have been debates about the effectiveness and cost of building such a massive structure throughout history. The Great Wall of China was built in sections starting in the 7th century BCE and was unified during the Qin Dynasty in the 3rd century BCE. It runs for over 4,000 miles across China and is made of earth, rubble, brick, or stone. The wall has been the subject of protection reports and has been found to measure over 20,000 kilometers. While it was once believed that the wall could be seen from space, this has been disputed by astronauts and experts. The Great Wall of China is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist destination. The Great Wall of China is not visible to the naked eye from the moon, despite popular myth. However, various factoids claim that it can be seen from space, with questionable degrees of veracity. In reality, the wall is in disrepair in many locations and has been destroyed in some parts to make way for construction or mining. A 2012 report states that 22% of the Ming Great Wall has disappeared, while 1,961 km of wall have vanished. The wall was historically important for defense against enemy movements, and signal towers, wooden gates, barracks, stables, and armories were built near the wall's inner surface. The Great Wall of China was built using a variety of materials, including bricks, stones, and wood. Sticky rice mortar was used to hold bricks together, and defensive battlements lined the uppermost portion of the wall. The Ming dynasty heavily used bricks in many areas of the wall, and tiles were also used. The wall spans several provinces and regions, with Shanhai Pass considered the traditional end. In recent years, previously unknown sections of the wall have been discovered using infrared range finders and GPS devices. The Mutianyu section is one of the first to be renovated following the Cultural Revolution, and Juyong Pass and Badaling are popular tourist destinations. The Great Wall saw nearly 10 million visitors in 2018, prompting a daily limit of 65,000 visitors in 2019. The Great Wall of China is a series of defensive walls and fortifications that span over 13,000 miles and were built by various dynasties throughout Chinese history. The sections of the wall around Beijing are especially famous and frequently visited by tourists. The Ming Great Wall is the most famous stretch and was the first section to be opened to the public. The wall splits in two with the "Outer Great Wall" in Shanxi province and the "Inner Great Wall" extending along the Inner Mongolia border with Shanxi into Hebei province. The western terminus of the Ming Great Wall is located in Gansu province. There are over 10,000 wall sections, ramparts, trenches, individual buildings, and fortifications associated with the Great Wall. The full course of the wall is difficult to describe due to a lack of agreement on what constitutes a "Great Wall." The Great Wall became a main attraction for tourists in the late 19th century, and there are many myths and exaggerations about its history and construction. The Great Wall of China has been a topic of interest for Europeans since the early 16th century. One of the earliest descriptions of the wall and its significance for defense came from Gaspar da Cruz in 1559. Other Western sources include Juan González de Mendoza, Matteo Ricci, and Bento de Góes. Ibn Battuta visited China in the 14th century but found no significant remnants of the wall. The legend of the wall is also mentioned in the Qur'an and by Alexander the Great. Europeans who visited China or Mongolia in the 13th and 14th centuries, such as Marco Polo and William of Rubruck, did not mention the wall. The Manchus eventually conquered China in 1644 by crossing the heavily fortified Shanhai Pass. Under Qing rule, China's borders extended beyond the walls. The Great Wall of China was built during the Ming dynasty to defend against Mongol raids. It was stronger and more elaborate than earlier fortifications, with up to 25,000 watchtowers estimated to have been constructed. The Ming also built the Liaodong Wall, which enclosed the agricultural heartland and was repaired and reinforced periodically. Other dynasties, including the Northern Wei, Tang, Song, Sui, and Northern dynasties, also built defensive walls to protect against northern invaders. The Qin dynasty built a wall using rammed earth, but most sections have eroded away over time. The human cost of construction is unknown. The Great Wall of China was built to connect fortifications along the northern frontier of China to prevent invasion from the north. It was constructed using various materials, including stone and earth, and was not originally intended as a permanent border. The wall-building techniques were already familiar to the Chinese during the Warring States and Spring and Autumn periods. The current English name "the Great Wall" evolved from early modern European travelers' accounts. The wall was referred to by various names in medieval records, such as "the Purple Frontier" and "the border wall(s)." The length of the wall was often exaggerated and referred to figuratively as "ten-thousand miles" in Chinese records. The name "the Great Wall of China" became standard in English and French by the nineteenth century. The Great Wall of China is a collection of fortifications that spans over 21,000 km from the Tao River in the north to the Sino-Russian border in the west, and was built for defense purposes. It is considered one of the most impressive architectural feats in history. The wall was built by different dynasties and has multiple courses, with watchtowers, troop barracks, and garrison stations. Its path also served as a transportation corridor and allowed for border controls. The defensive characteristics were enhanced by the construction of ramparts and signaling capabilities. Other purposes of the wall included regulation or encouragement of trade and control of immigration and emigration. The Great Wall had multiple names in both Chinese and English, including "city" and "Long Wall." It was depicted on an 1136 map of China called Huayi tu. Today, it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built across historical northern borders of Imperial China to protect against various nomadic groups. Several walls were built from as early as the 7th century BC, with the best-known sections built by the emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (220-206 BC), and later joined by successive dynasties. Little of the Qin wall remains today. The Great Wall stretches for thousands of li (a Chinese unit of measurement) and is known in Chinese as Wnl Chngchng.