Building the Great Wall | National Geographic

this is the Ming dynasty’s Great Wall

this is the Ming dynasty’s Great Wall the stone dragon that has become the

the stone dragon that has become the

the stone dragon that has become the image of the Great Wall of China

image of the Great Wall of China

image of the Great Wall of China throughout the world

throughout the world

throughout the world it was built in the 16th century for

it was built in the 16th century for

it was built in the 16th century for much the same reason as the Han Wars to

much the same reason as the Han Wars to

much the same reason as the Han Wars to protect the Middle Kingdom from the

protect the Middle Kingdom from the

protect the Middle Kingdom from the northern barbarians but this gigantic

northern barbarians but this gigantic

northern barbarians but this gigantic construction is made not of earth but of

construction is made not of earth but of

construction is made not of earth but of baked bricks it’s more than seven meters

baked bricks it’s more than seven meters

baked bricks it’s more than seven meters thick at the base that it’s battlements

thick at the base that it’s battlements

thick at the base that it’s battlements reach up to 20 meters high

it curves majestically through more than

it curves majestically through more than 1,200 kilometers of the mountains north

1,200 kilometers of the mountains north

1,200 kilometers of the mountains north of Beijing

it follows the natural line of the

it follows the natural line of the mountain peaks reaching breathtaking

mountain peaks reaching breathtaking

mountain peaks reaching breathtaking heights before plunging into the deepest

heights before plunging into the deepest

heights before plunging into the deepest ravines

visitors stand speechless before this

visitors stand speechless before this architectural masterpiece and admire the

architectural masterpiece and admire the

architectural masterpiece and admire the audacity of its builders

even while they wonder about its real

even while they wonder about its real military effectiveness

but there’s little doubt about the

but there’s little doubt about the message this is the frontier of our

message this is the frontier of our

message this is the frontier of our world on the other side the alien world

world on the other side the alien world

world on the other side the alien world begins this wall is the expression of a

begins this wall is the expression of a

begins this wall is the expression of a culture that wanted to be entirely

culture that wanted to be entirely

culture that wanted to be entirely self-sufficient

this stone monument marks the peak of

this stone monument marks the peak of wall building in China’s long history

wall building in China’s long history

wall building in China’s long history almost every dynasty had built its own

almost every dynasty had built its own

almost every dynasty had built its own wall there was never a single strategic

wall there was never a single strategic

wall there was never a single strategic idea some reckon that all the walls

idea some reckon that all the walls

idea some reckon that all the walls added together would stretch for 25,000

added together would stretch for 25,000

added together would stretch for 25,000 kilometers

many parts of many walls are still to be

many parts of many walls are still to be discovered on the Yellow River close to

discovered on the Yellow River close to

discovered on the Yellow River close to the once so hotly disputed Ordos region

the once so hotly disputed Ordos region

the once so hotly disputed Ordos region there is still a few remains here and

there is still a few remains here and

there is still a few remains here and there ruin towers and tumbling sections

there ruin towers and tumbling sections

there ruin towers and tumbling sections of walls still rear out of the sand

over the centuries the wind and the rain

over the centuries the wind and the rain have taken their toll on the walls of

have taken their toll on the walls of

have taken their toll on the walls of packed earth

the relics of the old ramparts seem to

the relics of the old ramparts seem to merge with a natural landscape as if

merge with a natural landscape as if

merge with a natural landscape as if they were never built by man hard to

they were never built by man hard to

they were never built by man hard to believe here in the myth of the wall as

believe here in the myth of the wall as

believe here in the myth of the wall as a symbol of the nation’s strength