Great Wall is testament to China's strength, unity

You wanted to know

"How did they build the Great Wall of China?" asked a young Grayslake Area Library patron.

The very first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, unified China's warring states in 200 B.C.

Ascending to the throne at age 13, he accomplished great things - he conquered and connected six separate states; constructed a linked system of walls called the Great Wall of China; ordered the fabrication of 8,000 terra cotta warriors, each with unique features, to install in his vast tomb; and dug an extensive roadway system across his kingdom.

Successive Chinese leaders added to the Great Wall, making it the world's largest military structure. At one time, this man-made barrier was believed to be 5,000 miles in length - the same distance as a round-trip drive across the U.S. from New York to California.

But extensive research undertaken by China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage revealed the Great Wall of China spans more than 13,000 miles.

According to the UNSECO World Heritage website, that great size makes the Great Wall recognizable from space. Parts of the wall have been designated World Heritage sites because of historical, architectural and military significance.

Constructed during a 2,000-year period, the wall incorporates passes and signal towers that have protected China's citizens from invaders since work began in 200 B.C.

Originally built to protect China's citizens from attackers outside of the walls, the boundaries changed over time. The wall fell well within the borders when the empire pushed into foreign territory. At other times, invaders such as the Mongols and Manchurians overtook all of China and found themselves within the Great Wall.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered his general, Meng Tian, to link the walls that bordered all the conquered states, forming the Great Wall.

The original sections were made from mounded earth, sand, grass and branches. Soldiers hauled rocks into place creating "Wan Li Chang Cheng," which translates to The Long Wall of 10,000 Li.

Under the emperor's orders, General Tian assembled a huge workforce, with estimates as high as 1 million workers, to build the wall. Later rulers added sections until the wall formed an almost continual line.

Workers included soldiers, laborers and prisoners. Heavy stones were lifted in baskets using human chains to move building materials. Soldiers stationed at the wall supervised the work.

Successive emperors continued construction throughout the centuries. In the 1300s, the Ming Dynasty built tile and masonry factories near the wall to supply construction material. Cannons were installed in the fortifications and soldiers patrolled the towers.

The Great Wall is an awe-inspiring accomplishment, and possibly one of the best representations of man's ingenuity and tenacity. The most visited section is the Great Wall of China - Badaling, close to Beijing, which attracts an average of 1 million national and foreign tourists each year.

Another beautiful white marble gate called the Cloud Platform, built in 1345, is near the Juyong Pass. Erosion, weather and human destruction have toppled some sections of the wall, but the entire 13,000-mile edifice stands as a testament to strength and unity in China.

Check it out

The Grayslake Area Public Library District suggests these titles on the Great Wall of China:

• "Where is the Great Wall?" by Patricia Brennan Demuth

• "The Great Wall of China," by Cindy Jenson-Elliott

• "Great Building: Stories of the Past," by Peter Kent

• "Great Wall of China," by Adele Richardson

• "Great Wall of China," by Christine Webster