Great Wall of China
Transcript: Answer: Answer: Building the wall was hard work. Some of it was in very hot weather and some in the bitter cold. In the earliest stages, builders rammed earth and stone into the walls. But in the Ming Dynasty they used bricks, limestone and tiles, as well. Why is the Great Wall of China important to the Chinese presently? The Wall is a unique structure that is considered one of the seven wonders of the world. It snakes through the mountains of China for 4,500 miles. That's longer than the distance across from New York to California by about 1,000 miles! Great Wall of China Why was the Great Wall of China built? Strictly speaking, it is only parts of the Great Wall of China which are Heritage-listed. These sections have been given world heritage status because they are testament to the remarkable building programs undertaken by the ancient Chinese. They are a symbol of another era, and one which will not be repeated. Heritage listing helps protect such significant and ancient symbols, which have already been subject to vandalism through the years. Greatest Tourist Attraction in the World: The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest sights in the world. The longest wall in the world, it is an awe-inspiring feat of ancient defensive architecture. Its winding path over rugged country and steep mountains takes in some great scenery. Greatest Human Feat in History: The Great Wall is the building project with the longest duration and greatest cost in human lives, blood, sweat and tears. It deserves its place among "the New Seven Wonders of the World" and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China. The Great Wall of China is a Chinese fortification built from 3rd century BC until the beginning of the 17th century, in order to protect the various dynasties from raids by Mongol, Turkic, and other nomadic tribes coming from areas in modern-day Mongolia and Manchuria. It was to protect China from the invasion of the Xiongnu people from Mongolia. The Xiongnu tribe was China's main enemy at that time. The Chinese built the Great Wall to prevent them from entering and conquering China. Originally made up of shorter walls between factions, the wall was fortified and lengthened under the emperor Qin Shi Huang beginning in 221 BC. The defenders could shoot arrows and cannon at enemies from the Great Wall, which was cleverly designed with small holes in the walls for defense and attack at the same time. Although the building of the architectural wonder sacrificed many lives, it was still worth it in the end as the Mongols were mostly kept out of China. Answer: Among all legends and stories about the Great Wall, the most well-known one is probably of a girl called Meng Jiang Nü. Through various dynasties, the story has been modified and developed into many different versions. The most popular one goes as follows: It was in Qin Dynasty (221 B.C. - 206 B.C.). Having escaped from the heavy labour work at the Great Wall construction site, a young man called Fan Qi Liang hid in a private garden where he ran into Meng Jiang Nü, the daughter of the garden owner. They married but right after the wedding, Fan Qi Liang was taken away to build the Great Wall again. Meng Jiang Nü waited at home. Winter came but Fan Qi Liang did not return. Meng Jiang Nü made him some warm clothes and decided to take them to her husband. She got to the construction site but Fan Qi Liang was nowhere to be found. She was then told that Fan Qi Liang had died and his body was built into the Great Wall. Meng Jiang Nü cried night and day. Her sorrow was so deep that the Great Wall broke down and exposed the bones and bodies of many dead men. Meng Jiang Nü cut her fingers and dripped her blood on the dead until her blood flowed into one. Knowing that this was her husband, she buried him and then jumped into water and killed herself. This is a very wide-spread legend about the Great Wall and was even made into movies three times. If you ever get a chance to visit Shan Hai Guan, the eastern end of the Ming Great Wall - actually, the Ming Great Wall used to extend further east and northward, - you can pay a visit to the temple dedicated to Meng Jiang Nü. Though just a legend, the story of Meng Jiang Nü did tell one truth: Many people have given their lives building the Great Wall, and many more defending the Wall. With a history of over 2,000 years, the Great Wall witnessed the changes of time, the lives of people, the happening of events, and the stories of many individuals. So much laughter, so many tears, the Great Wall all endured with silence. Why is the Great Wall of China on the World Heritage List? The facts show many people worked to build the Great Wall of China. Ancient records show that more than 300,000 soldiers and 500,000 commoners worked to build it. That's about the same as the population of San Francisco! It is often said that many ancient people were buried under the root of the Great Wall of China. What are some stories? Answer: The Ming
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