Touring the Great Wall of China

The inscription of this much celebrated quote stands on the Badaling Great Wall. Maos words can now be changed as He who has not mounted the Great Wall is not a true traveler. Being the most popular tourist site in China the Great Wall has attracted more than 6 million visitors in 2009 to the Badaling section alone. But there is more to this great military project than her touristic appeal.
The Two Great Walls

Fortresses ramparts towers and beacons were built since the 7th century B.C. The feudal lords needed to defend against each other although they paid homage to the same emperor of the Zhou Dynasty. The Qu Great Wall started to emerge after Qu Shi Huang united China in 221 B.C. and ordered to link up the defensive walls in the north.

The older Great Wall of more than 5000 km is made up of tamped earth stones and wood. It needed constant repair and reconstruction in the next one thousand years. The manual labor often involved hundreds of thousand to over one million soldiers and peasants in each dynasty.

The more familiar Great Wall made of bricks was constructed in the Ming Dynasty. In addition to strengthening the old wall with granite work redesigned towers and latest artillery the Ming emperors built an inner Great Wall. They wanted to keep the Mongols of the previous Yuan Dynasty and the nomadic tribes at bay with the strongest defense: nearly one million soldiers were stationed on the solid ramparts.

The present day Great Wall is more than 8800 km long with 100 passes tens of thousands of watch towers and beacons crossing seven provinces. More than 20 sites along the Great Wall are open to the public and the major attractions include:

Jiumeikou:-

Known in the ancient time as Yipianshi meaning a piece of stone Jiumeikou is considered the eastern starting point and one of the most important passes of the Ming Great Wall. It is situated near Suizhong of Liaoning 15 km from Shanhaiguan. This section of the Great Wall was first built between 479 and 502. The rampart of 1704 m was rebuilt and strengthened in 1381 in the Ming Dynasty. It is the only section in the Great Wall which is built over a river. The name Jiumeikou means nine gates and refers to the nine majestic gates across the Jiujiang River.

Badaling Great Wall:-

Situated about 60 km to the northwest of downtown Beijing it is the most visited section on the Great Wall. Juyongguan was believed to be built in the Han Dynasty. A systematic construction of defensive wall started in the Northern Wei Dynasty in 446. The Badaling Great Wall as is seen today was reconstructed in the Ming Dynasty. Strategically located Juyongguan was always the most important and heavily armed military spot.

Shanhaiguan:-

Situated near the city of Qinhuangdao in Hebei Province Shanhaiguan known as The Number One Pass in China is near the provincial border of Liaoning on the eastern edge of the Great Wall. Being a military important pass Shanhaiguan witnessed lots of historic battles including the Japanese invasion of China in World War II. The Ming General Wu Sangui opened the gate at Shanhaiguan to let in the Qing army leading to the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty.

Jiayuguan:-

Situated near the city of Jiayuguan in Gansu province Jiayuguan is the first pass near the western edge of the Ming Great Wall. Constructed in 1372 it is the best preserved pass of the Great Wall. Areas and cities around Jiayuguan served as key stops on the Silk Road in the Gobi Desert.

Yanmenguan:-

Situated in Daixian County of Shanxi Province Yanmen Pass is circled with three major stone walls and 23 smaller stone walls. Defensive wall was first built at Yanmenguan in the 3rd century B.C. Being strategically important against the aggression from the nomadic tribes of Xiongnu and the Turks Yanmenguan had been vigorously rebuilt and strengthened for more than 2000 years.

Jinshanling:-

It lies in the mountainous area of Luanping County in Hebei Province. Along the 10.5 km wall there are two beacons five passes as well as 67 watchtowers about 150 m apart from each other all in different styles. The Jinshangling Great Wall was first built in the 6th century and improved during the Ming Dynasty by one of the most famous generals in Chinese history General Qi Jiguang.