2012-04-19T00:00:43Z

Andrew P:

[[File:IMG 3776.JPG|275px|thumb|right|Jinshanling to Simatai section of the Great Wall. Photo by Andrew Penrod.]]
The Great Wall of China is one of the world's most easily recognized structures. Like the panda bear and the Forbidden City, the Great Wall is a symbol that is exclusively Chinese. Although its construction required great human sacrifice, it now stands as a proud monument, symbolizing power, strength, and will.

== '''Origins''' ==

The Great Wall is one one of the world's oldest structures. Governments from pre-Han times engaged in the construction of defensive walls. Construction began on these walls sometime during the Zhou dynasty, around the 7th century BC. Later, these defensive walls were joined together to make a make bigger, stronger, and unified Great Wall.

[[File:Map_of_the_Great_Wall_of_China.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Map of The Great Wall of China (Construction by dynasty), map by Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa). Click [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_the_Great_Wall_of_China.jpg here] for original source.]]

During the Qin dynasty, which lasted from 220-210 BC, construction on the Great Wall became a focal point. At that time, Qin Shi Huangdi was engaged in fighting the nomadic tribes to the north without much success. In order to save human and economic resources, which were being lost to the war, Qin Shi Huangdi ordered the construction of an immense defensive wall. Hundreds of thousands of men were needed for the building process. These builders used whatever local resources they could find, such as rocks, clay, and mud, and also used the process of rammed earth to erect the walls. Throughout the process, workers were subjected to hard living and work conditions and many died (Slavicek). Wall-building during this period was a crime against the people.

Subsequent dynasties didn’t keep wall in constant repair because the cost outweighed the value, and it was not very effective at keeping intruders out.

[[File:IMG_1299.JPG|375px|thumb|right|Jinshanling to Simatai section of the Great Wall. Photo by Halee Penrod.]]

== ''Ming Dynasty'' ==

Ming Dynasty
Over a thousand years after Qin Shi Huangdi's push to erect the protective wall against nomadic intruders, the Ming dynasty was also struggling with nomads, the Mongols. The Ming dynasty played a major role in the construction of the Great Wall because they could figure out no better way to defend their territory. During the first part of the Ming rule they tried to use offensive attacks and trade to control the Mongols.

In 1449, Emperor Yingzong lead an army into Mongol territory, allowing himself to be captured and his followers to be slaughtered. Instead of rescuing Yingzang or paying a ransom for his return, the Ming installed a new emperor. This led to a disagreement between officials. Subsequent discussion took place of how the control the Mongols, either reject all contact or increase trade. As the debate went on for decades, the Mongols grew stronger.

In 1542, Altan Khan led his raids into China. Khan captures or kills over 200,000 Chinese people in a single month. During the raids he stole over a million head of horse and cattle and burned down several thousand houses. Because of these events, and one’s like them, the Ming decided it was in China's best interest to fortify their defense, and invested heavily in reconstructing the Great Wall (Ebrey 210).

It wasn't until centuries later when the European explorers and missionaries arrived that the Chinese realized how magnificent their wall was. European missionary and scholar Ferdinand Verbiest described it, “The seven wonders of the world put together are not comparable to this work; and all Fame hath published concerning it among the Europeans, comes far short of what I myself have seen,” (Ebrey 208).

== '''Facts about The Great Wall''' ==

[[File:IMG_3778.JPG|325px|thumb|left|Jinshanling to Simatai section of the Great Wall. Photo by Andrew Penrod.]]

-The Wall averages twenty-five feet high and wide (Ebrey).

-The Wall spans 1,500 miles from its westernmost point at Jiayuguan in Gansu to its easternmost point at Shanhaiguan, near Beijing (Ebrey).

-Scientists conclude that the walls stretch over 8,851.8 km (5,500.3 mi). This is figure includes 6,259.6 km (3,889.5 mi) of actual wall, 359.7 km (223.5 mi) of trenches and 2,232.5 km (1,387.2 mi) of natural defense barriers such as mountains and rivers (BBC).

-Provo to LA= 560 miles
-Provo to Vancouver, CAN= 737 miles
-Provo to Detroit, MI= 1489 miles
-Provo to Columbus, OH= 1512 miles
-Provo to Pensacola, FL= 1529
-Provo to Toronto, CAN= 1669 miles
-Provo to Boston/New York= @2000 miles

(http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/distance.html?p1=2128)

-The majority of the existing wall was reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty.

-Realizing its value, 20th century Chinese have retransformed the Great Wall into a symbol of China’s indomitable will.

== '''References''' ==

BBC News. "Great Wall of China 'even longer'." BBC News, 20 Apr 2009. Web. 10 Apr 2012. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8008108.stm>.

Ebrey, Patricia. ''The Cambridge Illustrated History of China''. 2nd edition. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010. 65, 208-212. Print.

Slavicek, Louise, George Mitchell, and James Matray. "The Great Wall of China (Arbitrary Boarders)." New York: Infobase Publishing. (2005).

2012-03-05T07:14:23Z

Andrew P: Statue of Xuanzang by Malfet_

Statue of Xuanzang by Malfet_