Height width and length Chinese. Wall at present

From the course school history many of us know that the Great Wall of China is the largest architectural monument. Its length is 8.851 km. The height of the grand structure varies from 6 to 10 meters, and the width varies between 5 and 8 meters.

Chinese wall on the map of China

History of the Great Wall of China

In Northern China, as early as the 3rd century BC, there were frequent clashes between the Chinese people and the Xiongnu. This period of history has been called the Warring States era.

At the same time, the construction of the Great Wall of China began. The main role played stone structure, consisted in the fact that it was supposed to mark the boundaries of the Chinese Empire, and unite the scattered provinces and regions into a single territory.

In the center of the Chinese plains, new trading posts and cities continually arose. And the neighboring peoples, warring among themselves and with others, robbed and ruined them with enviable regularity. In the construction of the wall, the rulers of that era saw the solution to this problem.

During the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty, it was decided to throw all their efforts into continuing the construction of the wall. Participated in this large-scale historical project most of population, and even the emperor's army.

The Chinese wall was built during the reign of this emperor for 10 years. Slaves, peasants, middle-class people gave their lives to build a structure of clay and stone. The construction work itself was complicated by the lack of entrances and roads to some construction sites. People lacked drinking water and food, died from epidemics without doctors and healers. But construction works did not stop.

At first, the wall was built by 300 thousand people. But at the end of its construction, the number of workers reached 2 million. There were many legends and tales around the Chinese Wall. One day, Emperor Qin was informed that the construction of the wall would stop after the death of a man named Wano. The emperor ordered to find such a person and kill him. The poor worker was walled up in the base of the wall. But construction continued for a very long time.

The Wall of China divides China into a south of farmers and a north of nomads. During the reign of the Ming Dynasty, the wall was reinforced with bricks, and watchtowers were erected on it. Under the Wanli Emperor, many parts of the wall were rebuilt or rebuilt. People called this wall the “earth dragon”. Because its foundations were high earthen mounds. And its colors corresponded to such a name.

The Great Wall of China begins in the city of Shanghai-guan, one of its sections passes near Beijing, and ends in the city of Jiayu-guan. This wall in China is not only a national treasure, but also a real cemetery. The bones of people buried there are still found today.

As a defensive structure, this wall proved to be not better side. Its empty sections could not stop the enemy. And for those places that were guarded by people, its height was not enough to repel attacks with high quality. Its small height could not fully protect the area from barbarian raids. And the width of the structure was clearly not enough to place on it a sufficient number of soldiers capable of fully fighting.

Senseless for defense, but useful for trade, the wall continued to be built. For its construction, people were forcibly taken to work. Families broke up, men lost their wives and children, and mothers lost their sons. They could be sent to the wall for the slightest offense. To recruit people there, special calls were made, similar to how soldiers are recruited for the army. People grumbled, sometimes riots were organized, which were suppressed by the army of the emperor. The last rebellion was the last. After all, after him, the reign of the Ming dynasty came to an end, and construction stopped.

The current Chinese government has introduced a number of fines for damaging landmarks. This had to be done due to the fact that many tourists sought to take a piece of the Chinese wall with them. And natural processes its destruction was only accelerated by such barbaric acts. Although in the 70s it was proposed to destroy the wall on purpose. Due to the then political outlook, the wall was perceived as a relic of the past.

What was the Great Wall made of?

Before the reign of the Qin Dynasty, primitive building materials were used for the wall: clay, earth, pebbles. After this period, they began to build from bricks baked in the sun. And also from large boulders. Building materials were taken from the same place where the construction took place. The stone mortar was made from rice flour. This gluten held the lumps together quite reliably. different shapes between themselves.

The Chinese wall was even used as a road. Its structure is heterogeneous. It has a different height, borders on mountain gorges and hills. The height of its steps in some places reaches 30 cm. Other steps are only 5 cm high. Climbing the Chinese Wall is quite convenient, but descending can be a risky adventure. And all because of such a device steps.

Many tourists who visited the wall noted this feature of it. It would seem that there is nothing easier than going down the stairs. But the paradox is that going down the steps different heights takes more time than climbing them.

The attitude of the Chinese to this building

During different periods of construction and reconstruction of the wall, people raised uprisings, as their forces were running out. The guards easily passed the enemy through the wall. And in some places they willingly took bribes so as not to lose their lives during the raids of opponents.

People raised riots, not wanting to build a useless structure. Today in China, the wall is given a completely different meaning. Despite all the failures, difficulties and failures that arose during construction, the wall is considered a symbol of the resilience of the Chinese people.

Modern Chinese people treat the wall in different ways. Someone feels awe at the sight of her, someone can easily throw garbage near this attraction. Most have a moderate interest in it. But the Chinese go on group excursions to the wall just as willingly as foreign tourists.

Mao Zedong wrote in his book that one who has not visited the Great Wall cannot call himself a true Chinese. On the small areas walls, marathons of runners are organized annually, excursions are held, research work and reconstruction.

Chinese wall: facts, myths and beliefs

Among the abundance of information about the main Chinese attraction, the myth that the Chinese Wall is visible even from the moon is quite popular. In fact, this myth has long been debunked. Not a single astronaut has been able to clearly see this wall with any orbital station, nor from a night satellite of the earth.

In 1754, the first mention appeared that the Great Wall of China is so large that it is the only one visible from the moon. But the astronauts did not manage to see this structure of stones and earth in the pictures.

In 2001, Neil Armstrong also denied rumors that the Wall of China could be seen from Earth's orbit. He stated that none of the other astronauts could clearly see this design on Chinese territory.

In addition to disputes about the visibility of the wall from orbit, there are many rumors and legends around this attraction. The terrible legend that the mortar for construction was kneaded from crushed human bones also not confirmed. Rice flour served as the basis for the solution.

Another myth says that when a farmer died while building the wall, his wife cried on it for so long that part of the structure collapsed, revealing the remains of the deceased. And the woman was able to bury her husband with all honors.

There were various rumors about the construction of this facility. Some claimed that a real fire-breathing dragon helped people lay a track for the wall, which melted the space with its flame to facilitate construction work on it.

Among other things, there is a legend about the construction itself. It says that when the chief architect was approached and asked how many bricks to make. He named the number "999999". After the construction work was completed, one brick remained, and the cunning architect ordered it to be mounted above one of the entrances to the watchtower to attract good luck. And he pretended that everything was meant to be.

Consider reliable facts about the Great Wall of China:

• The object is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List;
• Some sections of the wall were destroyed by contemporaries, because there was a need for places for new construction;
• This man-made structure is the longest in the world;
• The attraction is not classified as a wonder of the Ancient World;
• Another name for the Wall of China is the "Purple Border";
• For the entire world community, the wall was opened in 1605 by the European Bento de Gois;
• In addition to protective functions, the design was used to introduce state duties, control the migration of peoples and record foreign trade;
• Many famous politicians and actors have visited this attraction;
• The guard posts of the wall were used as beacons;
• Even today, night and evening excursions are organized on the wall;
• This structure can be climbed on foot and by funicular;
• In 2004, 41.8 million foreign tourists visited the wall;
• A simple wheelbarrow, commonly used at the construction site, was invented while building the wall;
• The final battle on this structure took place in 1938 between the Chinese and the Japanese;
• The highest point of the wall is located near the city of Beijing, 5000 meters above sea level;
• This object is the most popular tourism destination in China;
• The construction of the legendary wall was completed in 1644.

Maintaining such a huge architectural object in a presentable form is almost impossible. What influences the Great Wall of China today?

Why is the legacy of the ancestors destroyed?

For three consecutive imperial "kingdoms" in a row, the Chinese Wall was built and rebuilt several times. It was erected during the reign of the Qin, Han and Ming dynasties. Each dynasty brought something new to the appearance of the structure, betraying the construction of the structure new meaning. Construction was completed during the Ming era. The construction of the wall was one of the reasons for a large-scale uprising, during which the last representative of the dynasty was overthrown from the throne.

Today, even modern building technology and innovation cannot stop the destruction of a huge structure. Some sections of the wall collapse on their own due to exposure to rain, sun, winds and time.

Others are dismantled by local residents to use the materials to build villages. Tourists also damage the wall. Often there are segments of the wall painted with graffiti. Stones and other parts are pulled out of the structure.

In addition, some segments of the Great Wall of China are located so far from cities and towns that there is simply no one to monitor their condition. And the costly business for the economy does not fit into the modern Chinese budget.

The Great Wall gives the impression of a structure organically inscribed in the landscape. It seems to merge with the trees, hills and steppes around, without disturbing the beauty of the places where it lies. Her colors are shades of earth and sand. When viewed from the side, it seems that the building, like a chameleon, adapts to all the shades of greenery around, and dissolves among the woody palettes of the local vegetation.

This attraction has many channels and branches. Her story is full of secrets, tragedies and mysteries. And the design itself is not distinguished by engineering refinements. But the meaning that is embedded in this symbol today allows us to say that the Chinese people know no equal in work and perseverance. Indeed, for the construction of this structure, it took millennia and millions of human hands, erecting a wall stone by stone.

The construction of the first sections of this grandiose object began in the period of the Warring States in the III century BC. e. Great Chinese Wall was supposed to protect the subjects of the Empire from nomadic tribes, who often attacked settlements developing in the center of China. Another function of this grandiose object was to clearly fix the borders of the Chinese state and contribute to the creation of a single empire, which before these events was made up of many conquered kingdoms.

Construction of the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China was built quite quickly - within 10 years. In many ways, this was facilitated by the cruelty of Qin Shi Huang, who ruled at that time. Almost half a million people were involved in its construction, most of whom died at the foot of this object from hard work and exhaustion. They were mostly soldiers, slaves and landowners.

As a result of construction, the Great Wall of China stretched for 4,000 km and watchtowers were installed on it every 200 meters. Two centuries later, the wall was expanded to the west, as well as deep into the desert, to protect trade caravans from nomads.

Over time, this structure lost its strategic purpose, the wall was no longer dealt with, which contributed to its destruction. The Great Wall of China was given a second life by the rulers of the Ming Dynasty, who were in power from 1368 to 1644. It was in their times that grandiose construction work began again to restore and expand the Great.

As a result, it stretched from the Liaodong Gulf to the Gobi Desert. Its length began to be 8852 km, including all branches. The average height in those days reached 9 meters, and the width varied from 4 to 5 meters.

The current state of the Great Wall of China

Today, only about 8% of the Great Wall of China has retained its original appearance, which was given to them during the reign of the Ming Dynasty. Their height reaches 7-8 meters. Many sections have not been able to survive to this day, and most of the remaining wall is destroyed due to weather conditions, acts of vandalism, construction of various roads and other facilities. Some areas are subject to active erosion due to improper maintenance. Agriculture in the 50s-90s of the last century.

However, since 1984, a program has been launched to restore this important cultural and historical building. the highest level. After all, the Great Wall of China is still architectural monument and a place of mass pilgrimage for tourists from all over the world.

The Great Wall of China is the grandest defensive structure in the history of mankind. The prerequisites for the creation were formed long before the centuries-old construction. So many northern principalities and kingdoms of China built walls to protect themselves from nomadic raids. After the unification of these small kingdoms and principalities in the III century BC. Under the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang was elected emperor. It was he who, with the combined efforts of all of China, began the long construction of the Great Wall of China, designed to protect China from enemy raids.

The Great Wall of China in facts and figures

Where is the Great Wall of China located? In China. The wall originates in the city of Shanhai-guan and from there stretches in serpentine curves across half the country to Central China. The end of the wall is near the city of Jiayuguan. The width of the wall is about 5-8 meters, the height reaches 10 meters. On a stretch of 750 kilometers, the Great Wall of China was once used even as an excellent road. Near the wall in some areas there are additional fortifications and fortresses.

The length of the Great Wall of China, if measured in a straight line, reaches 2450 kilometers. And the total length, taking into account all the meanders and branches, is estimated at 5,000 kilometers. Since ancient times, myths and legends have been telling about the size of this building, it was even said that the wall can be seen from the moon. But this myth in our age technical progress loosened up freely. Although from space (from orbit) the Chinese Wall is visible, especially when it comes to satellite images. A satellite map, by the way, can be viewed below.

Satellite view of the wall

The history of China's grandiose structure

The beginning of the construction of the Great Wall of China dates back to 221 BC. According to legend, the army of the emperor (about 300 thousand people) was thrown into the construction. Here were also involved a large number of peasants, because the loss of builders had to be constantly compensated for with new human resources, since there were no problems with this in China. There are even a number of people who believe that the Great Wall of China was built by the Russians, but let's leave that as another beautiful guess.

The main part of the wall was erected just under the Qing. The front of work was carried out to combine the already built fortifications into single structure and the extension of the wall to the west. Most of the wall was ordinary earth mounds, which were later replaced by stone and brick.

Unrestored section of the wall

Interest causes geographical position walls. It seems to divide China into two parts - the north of the nomads and the south of the farmers. Further ongoing research confirms this fact.

In combination, the longest fortification is also the longest cemetery. One can only guess about the number of builders buried here. Many were buried right here in the wall and continued building on their bones. Their remains are found today.

Based on the great mortality, many legends have surrounded the wall over the centuries. According to one of them, Emperor Qin Shi Huang was predicted that the construction of the wall would be completed either after the death of a person named Wano, or 10,000 other people. The emperor, of course, ordered to find Vano, kill him and bury him in the wall.

During the existence of the wall, they tried to restore it many times. This was done by the Han and Sui dynasties. Modern look The Great Wall of China gained under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was here that earth embankments were replaced by bricks, and some sections were rebuilt. Watchtowers were also installed here, some of which have survived to this day. The main purpose of these towers was to signal the advance of the enemy. So at night, an alarm was transmitted from one tower to another with the help of a kindled fire, during the day with the help of smoke.

Watchtowers

Construction acquired a huge scope during the reign of Emperor Wanli (1572-1620). Until the 20th century, many people thought that it was he, and not Qin Shi Huang, who built this grandiose structure.

As a defensive structure, the wall proved to be bad. Indeed, for a major conqueror, the wall is not an obstacle. Only people can interfere with the enemy, but there were problems with people on the wall. Therefore, for the most part, the protection of the wall did not look to the North, but to ... South. It was necessary to keep track of the peasants, tired of taxes and work, who wanted to defect to the free north. In this regard, there is even a semi-myth that the loopholes of the Great Wall of China are directed towards China.

With the growth of China to the North, the function of the wall as a border disappeared completely and it began to decline. Like many other large structures of antiquity, the wall began to be disassembled into building materials. And only in our time (1977) did the Chinese government impose a fine for damaging the Great Wall of China.

Wall in a 1907 photograph

Now the Great Wall of China is a recognized symbol of China. Many sections have been restored again and are shown to tourists, one of the sections even passes near Beijing, which attracts millions of lovers of Chinese culture.

Badaling site near Beijing

Today we will learn everything we need to know about the Great Wall of China. First of all, we will analyze facts from history that will help us understand why such an immense structure was required. Further we will talk about approximate sizes, because the exact ones are still not known. Finally find out if the Great Wall of China is visible from space. This review is part of a comprehensive guide to China.

What was the Great Wall of China for?

To get to know Chinese great wall It is worth going back to the past to understand how it all began. It is foolish to deny that the Great Wall of China is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. Today, most attractions are built for profit and are not always of practical importance. At the time of the beginning of the construction of the wall, everything was different. The Great Wall of China was conceived primarily as a defensive structure in order to protect the borders of the empire from invaders.

The beginning of the construction of the wall dates back to the third century BC, when the Chinese empire was subjected to constant attacks from the nomadic tribes of the Huns (later the Huns). It is worth mentioning separately about the Xiongnu people, because it was a really strong rival, the confrontation with which took several centuries. Take a look at the territory that the Xiongnu occupied, it was huge and stretched from the Pamir mountain range to Manchuria. The army numbered more than 300 thousand soldiers, among whom were excellent shooters, riders and war chariots.

Just in order to protect yourself from cavalry, on different areas border began the construction of defensive walls and barriers. By that time, China was already a united kingdom, headed by the emperor of the Qin dynasty. The emperor plans to build an unprecedented structure that will serve as the border of the empire in the north and will be able to at least partially protect the then China from the Xiongnu raids.

In the times preceding the reign of the emperor of the Qin Dynasty, the scattered Chinese kingdoms, each separately, built barrier walls in order to escape from the raids of nomads. Undertaking the construction of the Chinese great wall, the emperor takes the already created structures as a basis, remodeling, completing and combining the walls into a single whole. Of course, this was not enough and it was necessary to do an unprecedented amount of work, and it was planned to do this in as soon as possible. The construction of the Great Wall of China was entrusted to the emperor's closest commander, Meng Tian.

Chinese Great Wall. Start of construction

During the Qin Dynasty, the construction of the wall lasted about 10 years. During this time, only part of the Great Wall of China, which we know now, was built. The fact is that for the construction of such an incredible scale and idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe structure, it was necessary to involve a huge number of people. Of course, the most expensive way for the empire's budget to find a workforce was to force people. Hundreds of thousands of peasants, convicts and prisoners were thrown into the northern sections of the borders of the Chinese Qin Empire.

There is no reliable data left on how many people died, but it is likely that the number is approaching 1 million people. The supply of provisions was poorly organized, and the construction of the wall consisted of ramming earthworks several meters high, which was very laborious. Many could not stand this way of life and died. Therefore, it is customary to say that the Great Wall of China was built on the bones and blood of the peasants.

As the wall was built, more and more people were required and the dissatisfaction of the population with the policies of the emperor of the Qin dynasty grew. It reached its climax when the emperor unexpectedly died after 20 years of reign. The second emperor of the Qin dynasty ascended the throne, but he was not destined to rule. Numerous uprisings arose throughout the empire, which eventually led to the overthrow of the emperor and the fall of the Qin dynasty. Thus, the construction of the Great Wall of China was suspended for a while. It is generally accepted that the commander Meng Tian, ​​who led the construction of the wall, committed suicide after the death of the emperor, saying that the Great Wall of China was a crime against nature.

Chinese Great Wall. Second wind

The boundaries of the wall expanded significantly during the reign of the Han Dynasty. The emperor of the Han dynasty decided to put an end to the power of the nomads in the west of the empire, and at the turn of the second and third millennia he was ready to oppose the eternal enemy. In addition to training warriors, it was necessary to strengthen the defensive structures. For this, an additional 10,000 km of the wall was built, with watchtowers, ditches and early warning systems.

The main difficulty in building the Chinese Great Wall in the Gobi Desert was the lack of building materials. Build really a solid wall in the desert area was not possible until the Chinese engineers came up with the idea of ​​tamping sand and clay between layers of brushwood. Such a multi-layer construction gave the necessary rigidity, which helped to withstand not only the hordes of nomads, but also to survive more than 2000 years of exposure to nature. Over time, the nomads were driven out of the Chinese empire, which made it much safer for traders to move along the Great Silk Road. More than a thousand years later, the Great Wall of China has been put to the test again and again. Hordes of Mongols were moving against the Chinese empire.

Chinese Great Wall. Ming dynasty

The Mongols invaded China and ruled there for over 100 years. After this time, around the 14th century, the Ming dynasty pushes the Mongols out of their empire and a new question arises before them. How to build a wall that will once and for all close the issue with the nomads, attacking from the western borders century after century?

In addition to upgrading the existing wall in the west, the empire needed to build a site near the newly formed capital of Beijing. The new capital of the empire was well defended by a chain of mountains, but there were gorges through which the nomads could easily invade the heart of the empire. The best architects and workers were assembled for the construction of the new site. At the head was the brilliant architect Tqi Jiguang. He came up with the idea of ​​using bricks in the construction of new sections of the Great Wall of China.

The building system of the Great Wall of China has also undergone a change. Now the towers were interconnected so that in the event of an attack on one of them, warriors from neighboring towers could come to the aid of each other. Weapon cannons were installed, huge crossbows capable of killing several people with one arrow and catapults for firing gunpowder projectiles. A few decades after the construction of a new section of the Great Wall of China, the first attempt was made to break through by nomads. This attempt failed, the wall showed how well thought out the structure was.

Having closed the issue here, it was necessary to return to the west of the empire, since the threat of invasion from the west was still present. The main problem, like many centuries ago, was Construction Materials. Chinese architects found a way out here too. Using sand and gravel, which was in abundance here, they laid them between rows of bricks, baked by the desert sun. Thus, the walls were extremely strong and had a well-thought-out system for repelling attacks. At the same time, a farpost was erected in the west of the empire. It was built according to the "fortress within a fortress" principle. The fortress included many labyrinths and the attacking warriors were an easy target for the defenders. The western outpost was never attacked.

Thus, the construction of the Great Wall of China lasted for many years, claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, but played important role in the history of building modern China. Opinions on the need to build the Great Wall of China differ. Not everyone is sure that she was worth such human sacrifices. However, there is hardly anyone who does not recognize that this building is one of the greatest buildings in the history of mankind.

Great Wall of China Dimensions

No one will tell you the exact dimensions of the Great Wall of China even today. Despite the fact that scientists have every opportunity to explore the wall meter by meter, the data still differ.

Great Wall of China length

The length of the Great Wall of China raises questions and scientists argue about it every day. But most agree that China's Great Wall is over 21,000 kilometers long. If you measure the wall from edge to edge.

Great Wall of China Height

On different parts of the wall, the height varies. Minimum Height The Great Wall of China is 6 meters high, while the height of the towers reaches 10 meters. Truly a great building!

Great Wall of China width

If we talk about thickness or width, as a rule, the figure will be approximately 5-8 meters. Summarizing, according to preliminary data, the dimensions of the Great Wall of China are as follows:

• length > 21,000 kilometers
• height ~ 6-10 meters
• width ~ 5-8 meters

Great Wall of China on the map

The map of China clearly shows which borders the rulers of the empire tried to protect. The Great Wall of China stretches along the north and northwest borders ancient China where skirmishes with nomads constantly arose. Just imagine China, the third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada. Even just looking at the map you can see the scale of the structure.

Great Wall of China coordinates

From the map above, you can take all the necessary coordinates of the great wall of China. To save you time, the coordinates of the Great Wall of China are: 40° 40′ 36.95″ N, 117° 13′ 54.95″ E.

Great Wall of China from satellite

Lively discussions are caused by the question of whether the wall is visible from the satellite. The vast majority of people agree that it is not possible to see the Great Wall of China from a satellite with the naked eye. At the beginning of the 21st century, the Chinese sent their astronaut into orbit. Of course, the first thing on his return to Earth was the question, is the wall visible from space? He answered in the negative.

If you want to get a satellite view of the Great Wall of China, you can do so in the image below.

great wall of china movie

At the end of the story, I suggest watching a film about the Great Wall of China from national geographic. An interesting and comprehensive film.

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The visiting card of the Celestial Empire - the Great Wall of China - has been under the protection of UNESCO since 1987 as historical heritage all over the world. According to the decision of the public, it is considered one of the new wonders of the world. There is no other defensive structure of this length on the planet.

Parameters and architecture of the "wonder of the world"

Contemporaries calculated the length of the grandiose Chinese fence. Taking into account the sections that have not been preserved, it is 21,196 km. According to some studies, 4000 km have been preserved, others give a figure - 2450 km, if you connect the starting and ending points of the ancient wall with a straight line.

In some places, its thickness and height reaches 5 m, in others it grows up to 9–10 m. Rectangles of 1.5-meter battlements complement the wall from the outside. The widest section of the wall reaches 9 m, the highest from the ground is 7.92 m.

Real fortresses were built at the outposts. On the most ancient sections of the wall, every 200 m of fences there are towers made of bricks or stones of the same style. They contain platforms for observation and loopholes with rooms for storing weapons. The farther from Beijing, the more common towers of other architectural styles.

Many of them have signal towers without interior spaces. From them, sentinels kindled a fire, signaling danger. For that time it was the most fast way warnings. According to legend, during the reign of the Tang clan, women were planted as sentinels on the towers, who were deprived of their legs so that they would not leave the post without permission.

"The longest cemetery in the world"

The beginning of the construction of a grandiose Chinese structure dates back to the 7th century BC, the end - to the 17th century. According to historians, at least 10 rulers of small Chinese provinces made efforts to build it. They fenced their possessions with high mounds of earth.

Qin Shi Huang united the lands of small principalities into a single empire, ending the two-hundred-year era of the Warring States. With the help of defensive fortifications, he decided to ensure reliable protection of the state from the raids of nomads, especially the Huns. He ruled China from 246-210 BC. In addition to defense, the wall fixed the borders of the state.

According to legend, the idea was born after the prediction of the court soothsayer about the destruction of the country by nomads who would come from the north. Therefore, they originally planned to build a wall on the northern borders of the country, but then continued to build in the west, turning China into an almost impregnable possession.

According to legend, the direction and place of the construction of the wall was indicated to the emperor by a dragon. In his footsteps, the border was laid. Some researchers claim that the view of the wall from above resembles a soaring dragon.

Qin Shi Huang appointed the most successful general Meng Tian to lead the work. Combining the already existing earthen ramparts, they were strengthened and completed by more than half a million slaves, peasants, prisoners of war and prisoners. The emperor was an opponent of the teachings of Confucius, so he shackled all the Confucian scientists and sent them to the construction site.

One of the legends says that he ordered them to be immured in the wall as a sacrifice to the spirits. But archaeologists have not found confirmation of the rituality of single burials found in the towers. Another legend tells of a farmer's wife, Meng Jiang, who brought clothes to her husband, who was mobilized to work on a construction site. But by then he had died. No one could say where he was buried.

The woman lay down against the wall and cried for a long time until a stone fell out, revealing the remains of her husband. Meng Jiang brought them to her native province and buried them in the family cemetery. It is possible that workers who participated in the construction were buried in the wall. Therefore, the people called it the "wall of tears."

A two-millennium building

The wall was completed and rebuilt in parts, from various materials - earth, brick, stones. Active construction was continued in 206-220 by the Han emperors. They were forced to strengthen the defense of China from the raids of the Huns. Earth ramparts were strengthened with stones to protect them from destruction by nomads. All the rulers of China monitored the safety of defensive structures, except for the emperors of the Mongolian Yuan clan.

Most of the grandiose structures that have survived to the present day were built by the emperors of the Ming family, who ruled China in 1368-1644. They were actively engaged in the construction of new fortifications and the repair of defensive structures, because the new capital of the state - Beijing - was only 70 kilometers away, so high walls were a guarantee of its safety.

During the reign of the Manchu Qing clan, the defensive structures lost their relevance, because the northern lands were under its control. They stopped paying attention to the grandiose structure, the wall began to collapse. Its restoration began at the direction of Mao Zedong in the 50s of the twentieth century. But during the "cultural revolution" most of it was destroyed by opponents of ancient art.

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