What is in the Great Wall of China?

The Great Wall, an outstanding representation of the wisdom and labor achievements of the ancient Chinese people, is also one of the important symbols of Chinese culture. The name of the Great Wall originates from its function, i.e. the a massive wall built to prevent enemy invasion.

A series of fortifications that spans over 13,000 miles across northern China, the Great Wall is also one of the most iconic landmarks on Earth. The wall was built over a period of two millenniums, with construction beginning in the 7th century BC and continuing through the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

The Great Wall is made primarily of brick, tamped earth, stone, and wood. The wall is up to 30 feet tall and up to 15 feet wide at the base. This magnificent military defense structure has stood the test of time and remains one of the most visited historical sites in the world.

The Great Wall is mainly distributed in Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong, Henan, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang, a total of 15 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government. The length in Hebei Province is more than 2,000 kilometers, and the length in Shaanxi Province is 1,838 kilometers. According to the results of a nationwide survey of the Great Wall by the Department of Cultural Heritage and Mapping, the total length of the Ming Great Wall is 8,851.8 km, and the Qin and Han and early Great Wall exceeds 10,000 km, for a total length of more than 21,000 km. The extant Great Wall cultural relics proper include various types of remains such as the walls, watchtowers, beacon towers, trenches, boundary trenches, barracks,stables, monolithic buildings, customs forts, and related facilities, totaling more than 43,000 sites (blocks/sections).

What does the Great Wall of China look like today?

The Great Wall of China is an impressive sight to behold. It winds its way across the northern landscape of China, looking like an enormous dragon snaking over mountains and through valleys. The wall itself is made up of watchtowers, battlements, and fortresses. Some sections of the wall are built with steep steps, while others are relatively flat.

The Great Wall is not just a wall but a complex system of fortifications that includes many different types of structures. Today some sections of the wall are basically sound, some have been restored to their former glory, while others are in ruins.

The Great Wall of China is shortening, with the total length of the Ming Wall and ruins no longer exceeding 2,500 kilometres. Many of the beacons have lost their brickwork, some of the walls are leaning, and some have been hollowed out by the elements, leaving several large holes that could collapse in one rainstorm.

The Great Wall has been damaged by nature, and in many places it has been subjected to natural weathering and is on the verge of collapse without being repaired. At the same time, with the rapid increase in population, the massive launch of various construction projects and the blind development of local economies, mankind has posed an even more serious threat to the Great Wall.