This included those famed Mongols as well as lesser-known groups like the Xiongnu and the Göktürks. Since China’s first dynasty, the empire faced a near-constant threat of attack from the nomadic tribes to the north. The main reason for the wall’s construction had always been defense. These sections feature prominently in photographs of the Great Wall, and they’ve defined the wall’s modern image. The Ming emperors undertook a massive construction effort to expand, repair and garrison the wall, adding long sections of crenellated stone walls more than 20 feet high. Ultimately, it wasn’t until the Ming dynasty, in the 14th century, that the wall came to resemble what we see today. In part because of the piecemeal nature of its construction, the wall is made of many different materials and building styles, from impressive stone fortifications to mud bricks and simple ramparts of packed dirt. Various rulers throughout the next millennium added their own contributions, gradually extending the wall’s breadth. the Han dynasty strengthened the wall, adding regularly spaced beacons and forts to aid surveillance of the surrounding countryside. Over the course of roughly a decade, the emperor’s laborers linked together existing fortifications to create a wall several thousand miles long to protect against the nomadic Xiongnu to the north. Building the Great WallĬhinese wall-building dates back to at least the 7th century B.C.E., but construction on what would become the Great Wall began during the reign of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang in the 3rd century B.C.E. Although certainly helpful in defending the Chinese homelands, the Great Wall proved at various times to be more permeable than we might think. But the wall, expansive and imposing though it may be, was not always the militaristic trump card it appeared. Still, its primary goal - that of defense - is most obvious to us today. Originally built to defend not only against nomadic Mongolian tribes but also other Chinese factions, the wall’s ultimate purpose would shift somewhat over time, scholars believe, coming to include non-military functions like the encouragement of trade. Nevertheless, China’s Great Wall is a feat of engineering, and a testament to the wealth and sheer willpower of China’s historic rulers. (Credit: Maximilian Dörrbecker/Wikimedia Commons/CC by 2.5) The wall’s length also includes natural barriers, such as mountain ridges and rivers. The Great Wall of China is really a conglomeration of several different fortifications, many of which run parallel to each other. The wall was built over the course of more than 1,500 years as different dynasties repaired existing fortifications and built new ones.Īctually, it might better be known as walls, plural. Stretching thousands of miles long, the wall runs through mountains, plains, deserts and more, defending China’s historic northern border from invaders.
Many hundreds of years later, The Great Wall of China remains one of the most impressive structures ever built. And as you retreat, you wonder: What just happened? You smash against its gray bulk like waves against the shore, your weapons and skills counting for almost nothing as you are turned back by the implacable reality of stone and mortar. Now you’re galloping over the plains of northern China toward the wealthy cities of the Ming dynasty.īut.in the distance looms a massive obstacle, something your ravening horde can neither burn nor topple.
You’re part of one of the most devastating military forces of its time, seizing and burning cities, toppling empires. Imagine that you’re a member of the fearsome Mongol cavalry: Mounted on horseback, equipped with the era’s ultimate weapons technology - a bow and arrows - and the skills to wield them with deadly effect.