The Great Wall of China, one of the most awe-inspiring man-made projects in the world, lies across the northern part of China like a great sleeping dragon, winding its way through China’s vast northern territory. With a history of over 2,500 years, the Wall attracts visitors from all over the world. In 1987, Great Wall was listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and selected as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in a global poll announced on July 7, 2007. It is often said that “If you haven’t climbed the Great Wall, you haven’t seen China.” Most people in the world have seen photos of the amazing construction, but photos are poor imitations of the beauty and grandeur. No China tour is complete without seeing the Great Wall. Visiting it is the experience of lifetime.

The construction of the Great Wall began during 770-476 BC. During that period Ducal states built walls to defend their territories. In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang conquered the six kingdoms and unified China to become its first emperor. To consolidate the country and ward off invasion by the ethnic minority tribes in the north, he had the separate walls joined together and extended to form a united defensive system. Construction continued up to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), when the Wall became the world’s largest military structure. The current measurement of Great Wall, which stretches from Shanhaiguan Pass in the east to Jiayuguan Pass in the west, is 7300 kilometers (4300 miles). Its thickness ranges from about 4.5 to 9 meters (15 to 30 feet), and at its highest point is 7.5 meters (25 feet) tall. Most of the walls we see today were built during the Ming Dynasty. The watchtowers are built at intervals of 1,500 feet except where the terrain is more complicated, and then they are even closer. In ancient time, everyday thousands of soldiers were stationed there to make sure the whole nation was safe. At night, they slept inside the towers.

Its historic and strategic importance is matched only by its architectural significance. It is constructed of locally available materials – stone, rammed earth, large blocks of granite and bricks. The Great Wall is comprised of not only the walls, but also gates, beacon towers, watchtowers, castles and fortresses. Along the 7300 kilometers (4300 miles) long wall, there are countless beacon towers that were used as signal tower to deliver messages from one place to another. When the enemy invaded in the daytime, heavy smoke was used as a signal; while at night, a large fire would be lit, because fire was easy to see at great distances. The scale of the smoke and fire signals could reveal the number of invading enemies. The beacon towers were set at regular intervals along the Great Wall, and each tower upon seeing a signal from the previous one would light their signal to signal the next tower. A signal could be sent from one end of the Wall to the other, a distance of 7300 kilometers (4300 miles) in just over one hour.

The Great Wall was constructed using the Chinese people’s sweat, blood, and muscle. Ancient records show that at least one million slaves and prisoners of war were conscripted to build the great wall which followed the contour of the land, taking advantage of the natural landscape. As many died from exhaustion and starvation while working on this colossal task, the Wall was also known as “the longest cemetery in the world.” The bricks, rocks and lime used to build the wall had to be carried up the mountains on bare backs. Those who succeeded in climbing the wall today are often regarded as “real heroes”, but as visitors realize the difficulty in climbing the wall, they should try to imagine how difficult it must have been to build the Great Wall without any modern machinery.