Why was the Great Wall of China Built

The Great Wall of China is the largest wall ever built by man. It is not surprising that this structure which is approximately 5,500 miles long, and runs over plains, hills and deserts, is not the result of the efforts of a single group of Chinese people. The Great Wall of China was built over 2000 years and involved a large number of imperial dynasties of China. This colossal structure is not a single man-made wall but also includes natural barriers like mountains, trenches and rivers. Although parts of the Wall have disappeared due to action of the forces of nature, the structure that stands still inspires awe due to its historical significance and as an architectural marvel of olden times. But why was the Great Wall of China built? What was it that necessitated such a massive structure to be erected?

Reasons Behind the Construction

It would be easier for us to comprehend the answer to the question 'Why was the Great Wall of China made?' if we understand the fact that it is not a single structure that was built at one go. The construction of the Great Wall had started as early as in the 5th century B.C. The main reason why the Great Wall of China was constructed by different rulers of China was to protect the borders of their empire from the nomadic warring tribes, that came down from present day Manchuria and Mongolia. The earliest builders of the Wall were the rulers of the states of Qi, Zhao and Yan. These small states existed during the Era of the warring States, that dates from 5th century to 221 BCE, till China was finally united into a single kingdom under the Qin dynasty. These walls were made using earth and gravel that were stamped between board frames. Once Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty of China unified all the smaller kingdoms into one large kingdom, he ordered General Meng Tian to consolidate the existing walls and extend them further to form a northern border for his empire. His main aim was to protect his kingdom from Xiongnu people from the north. He also ordered demolition of any walls built by other earlier states, that would divide his empire from within. This wall is called the "Wan-Li Qang-Qeng" in Chinese which means 10,000-Li Long Wall. (In Chinese, 2 Li measures about 1 km). This was a long wall and instead of using the same material over different sections, the Emperor ordered his men to use locally available material. Hence, while stones and rocks were primarily used for the Wall over mountainous regions, rammed earth was used for the Wall where it ran over the plains. The Great Wall of China was rebuilt, extended and repaired later by the Han, Sui, Northern and the Jin dynasties. This was an expensive venture, but every bit worth the effort, as the Wall provided protection against the northern invaders. Very little of the original wall remains today, as most of it has been eroded by the forces of nature. This is quite understandable, given the nature of material used to build the Wall.

With the defeat of the Ming Dynasty in the Battle of Tumu in 1449, building the Wall was taken up once more. Most of what we see of the Wall today was built by the Ming dynasty of China. The Wall built by the Ming dynasty survives till date because unlike its predecessors who used rammed earth, rocks and stones, the artisans of the Ming dynasty used stronger material like bricks throughout the new wall that they built. The section of the Wall along Beijing, capital of Ming dynasty was particularly strong. Other than protecting the empire from the Mongolian invaders, the Great Wall of China also served the purpose of standing like a barrier against the Manchu invasions that became frequent during the end of the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall of China was not just a barrier that stood passively protecting the Chinese empire on one side of it, there were provisions to store weapons, grains and also house soldiers. Army units used to be stationed to keep guard. Counterattacks could also be launched from the Wall. Watchtowers and signal towers were built throughout to keep watch over enemy troops advancing the empire, along the northern border and warn other army units patrolling the Wall.

Facts about the Great Wall of China

• Contrary to the misconception, the Great Wall of China can't be seen from the Moon with unaided eyes. It can however be seen from the Earth's orbit.
• The structure was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987.
• It is one of the new 7 wonders of the world, compiled by a Swiss-based company called 'The New Open World Corporation'.
• The width of the Great Wall of China varies from 15 to 30 feet and it has an average height of 25 feet.
• With some parts being lost to natural agents of erosion and new extensions of the Walls being unearthed, it is difficult to correctly estimate the actual length of the Great Wall of China.
• The Great Wall of china is a major tourist attraction of the nation today.

Hence, now we know that the answer to the question 'Why was the Great Wall of China built' was protection from the nomadic tribes, that were a constant threat to the security of the Chinese empire. Though many lives were lost in constructing the Wall, historians believe that the casualties thus occurred were much lesser than would have been, had the Chinese population been left open to the marauding tribes across the Wall.