The Great Wall of China - Research Paper Example

? Due Introduction If you ask someone what they know about China most people will mention gun powder, the food, and the Great Wall of China. It is one of the longest continuous structures ever constructed by man. It is an immense undertaking that seems even more so, because it was constructed centuries ago. There is little that man has made today that will, likely, be standing up to the ages as the Great Wall of China has done. One of the earliest American works discussing the wall, titled, appropriately, the “Great Wall of China,” by William Edgar Geil, published in 1909, acknowledged the presence of the wall as something that, “…separates the age of myth from the age of fact”(Geil 5). It is a truly captivating site. The Great Wall was never intended to stand as a testament of art or the grandeur of architecture, it served a far more simpler and practical purpose. Yet, all the same it is remarked as one of the greatest architectural feats of human history, like the pyramids at Giza and the city of Machu Pichu; and remains so today. It is still worthy of further research and discussion. History There is a myth that has become truly intertwined with the legend of the Great Wall of China. The myth tells the story of the wall as one great single undertaking, spanning, decades, of continuous building. However, this is, simply, not the case. The wall was built in different sections, in different locations, ultimately linked, throughout the years. ("Chinese Heritage Quarterly" 1) It is Qin Shih Huang, or the First Emperor, who is credited with conceiving of the idea to create a wall of immense length and strength that would prevent the invasion of the threatening Huns. However, many scholars today acknowledge that there are portions of the wall that may date back to smaller construction efforts that predates the rule of Qin Shih Huang. All the same the greatest portions were inspired by his intention to protect China from outsiders. There were, in fact, several Chinese Dynasties that contributed to the Wall, the Qi, the Wei, and the Zhao, however, it is three dynasties that are attributed with the greatest contributions. Qin Dynasty Again, Qin Shih Huang is responsible for the many of the oldest parts of the Great Wall. He foresaw the Wall as a fortification to protect the country from Hun invaders, as well as, ensure the rule of his descendents and future emperors who will take power after him. As one can see in the photograph these older sections of the wall have are formed of simple, natural materials, and are bit worse for wear in some sections. However, Qin, despite all of the innovations he brought during his rule, book printing and road building, but much of his rule was considered harsh and, even, cruel. The use of force to maintain work on the wall, along with a number of other sources of social unrest, resulted in a rebellion that ended his dynasty just after his death ("Chinese Heritage Quarterly" 1). Han Dynasty The Han Dynasty, regarded as one of the most powerful of Chinese dynasties, also, feared invasion from Hun Forces. This diplomatic rule attempted to make peace with by offering trade and economic incentives. However, this had little success and the Chinese resorted to a few offensive battles, but they became too costly to finance. The Han focused on adding to portions of the Great Wall, again as a defense, but this time it moved west toward the Gobi Desert; the intention being to protect the Silk Roads that were so essential to the empires economy ("The Great Wall of China"). As can be seen in the photograph, there is distinct difference in style and coloring of the stones in comparison between the Qin and the Han contributions; the Hans stones are darker and red Ming Dynasty The Ming Dynasty is credited with being the most prolific contributor to the building of the Great Wall. In fact, the majority of the wall that we are familiar with today is remnants of the works of this dynasty added between the years of 1368-1644 C.E. The Ming Dynasty contributions are more architecturally ornate than previous dynasty’s work, as seen in the photograph. Also, they are much younger and include the advantage of being constructed of limestone blocks, making this the strongest section but, also, the portions that have survived with the least amount of wear and have maintained their grace and shape throughout the centuries. The Ming had overthrown the ruling, foreign, Mogul regime, the Yuan, and were now very distrustful of foreigners and outside influences that they cut off trade all together for some time. However, even the Ming Dynasty’s endeavor to, again, fortify China failed to withstand to the Manchurian invasion("The Great Wall of China"). Discussion Although Qin is associated with the wall’s inception and other dynasties have contributed to its creation, however, it was not the physical labor of emperors that built the Great Wall of China. Over the generations the wall was constructed by artisans, paid craftsman, hired workers, but, also, indentured servants, slaves, and prison labor. The Great Wall of China stretches 4500 miles, or 6500 kilometers, winding across deserts, plains, swamps, and through hills. The average height is, approximately, 25 feet. The primary construction materials were whatever materials were available, dependent upon the location of the sections; in dryer deserts, for example, where resources are scarce, they used “rammed” earth and wooden planking; in other areas the earthen blocks were held together with a paste made of egg whites and rice. However, closer to Beijing, where the greatest inclusion of the Ming Dynasty contributions are found, as mentioned, limestone blocks and tiles make these sections far stronger than any of the fortifications that had come before them ("The Great Wall of China").There are three major structures that are repeated throughout the Wall’s length. Walls Walls, of course, are the most distinct feature of the Great Wall of China. The walls height ranges from 20 to 30 feet in some areas, the bases stretch 21 feet, tapering to a point of, approximately, 18 feet. at the apex. The builders took the initiative to rely on natural features of the land, like mountain cliffs and deep gorges, to benefit their design and could be adapted into the work, instead of, simply, man-made construction ("The Great Wall of China"). These looming walls were probably quite intimidating to the warriors of another time, many may have been unaccustomed to seeing architecture on this scale. Passes Because the wall was intended to secure major trade routes the Chinese they built passes along the wall. Each pass is, approximately, 30 feet tall and 15 feet wide. The passes were engineered to allow access for horses, merchants, and soldiers on either side. There are even safety precautions implemented to prevent travelers from falling over off the passes, an extended lip that hangs along the rim of the outer edge. This, also, brought a greater sense of safety to travelers ("The Great Wall of China"). Signal Towers These high towers are separated, approximately, 18 meters apart along the length of the wall, which were used as ways to message military information and communications, through fires, beacons, and banners. They, also, acted as watchtowers, as well as acted as stroage facilites, for soldiers to sleep, as stables for horses and sheep ("The Great Wall of China"). The Great Wall’s Influence on Chinese Arts and Culture The Great Wall has had an intersting relationship with the Chinse people throughout the years. There was a long period of time where the Great Wall was not percieved as a postive structure. Many looked at the wall as a reminder of the ancient tyranny and control of ancient rulers. However, by the end of the 19th century views about the wall and its improtance to the history of China had changed; a more positive persepctive was becoming more and more common. In fact, seeing the Great Wall appearing in contemporary art was extermly rare. But once the perspective had begun to change, around the late 1930s, slowly but surely, the wall began to be recognized in popular art. By the 1990s the Great Wall had become a postive symbol of Chinese culture. It became a respected symbol during the post-Tiananmen artists. It quickly became the mainstay symbol of the new generations of Chinese youth and becomes less a reminder of the militant and political history, but on the beautiful aesthetic, social, and cultural representation of China’s bright future, not it’s past (Minglu 776). The wall no longer represented the control but a beautiful piece of art and architecture. “The Great Wall has come to symbolize China itself” ("Chinese Heritage Quarterly" 1). These are the words spoken to encourage the Chinese people to invest in a restoration and preservation movement to salvage and protect the wall for futures generations to come. Chinese Universities are offering a major titled “Great Wall Studies,” this is intended to promote greater interest in the history of the ancient architecture and it relevance to modern Chinese culture ("Chinese Heritage Quarterly" 1). Conclusions Although the Great Wall has withstood the test of time, it has not escaped completely unaffected. Portions of the wall have started to falter and decay. There are several initiatives being applied by the Chinese to preserve and, potentially, restore this, now, treasured cultural landmark. As one of the oldest representations of ancient architecture it goes without saying that the wall must be saved. Such places and items are considered artistic, architectural, or structural wonders because they have survived to remind us of history, it would be a genuine shame if we had to, one day, refer to the Great Wall of China has the wonder that once stood. It’s aesthetic beauty and sinuous construction has earned a place within art and architecture. Qin wanted, and the other historical rulers of the China wanted, the wall to protect and speak to the empowerment of the Chinese people; well, today when people think of China, they think of the Great Wall, so in a way the task has been accomplished For many people the Great Wall remains a representation of architecture and a true “Wonder of the World…” Works Cited Geil, William Edgar. The Great Wall of China. New York: Sturgis & Walton Company. 1909. Print. Minglu, Gao. "The Great Wall in Contemporary Chinese Art." Positions. 12.3 (2005): 773-786. Print. "The Great Wall of China." Architectural Evangelist. Architectural Evangelist, 25 May 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2013. . "The Great Wall of China: Tangible, Intangible and Destructible." Chinese Heritage Quarterly. 1. (2005): 1. Web. 18 Apr. 2013. . Read More