The Great Wall Of China

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

   by nur latifah

The Great Wall of China or also known in China by the name of the 10,000 Li Wall is the longest building ever created by humans located in China.

Historically, the construction of the wall is one of the most important parts in the history of Chinese architecture, namely to limit urban areas and housing. Various theories as to why the great wall was erected, among others, as a bastion, boundaries of land ownership, border markers and lines of communication to convey messages.

Based on generally accepted written evidence, basically the Great Wall of China was constructed in the majority of the period of the Qin Dynasty, the Han Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty. However, most of the giant wall forms that stand today are the result of the Ming period.


The lighthouse on the Mutianyu wall.

 flare tower or fenghuotai is used to convey military messages by making smoke signals during the day and fire at night to notify enemy movements. One of the most important parts of the great wall, this structure is made in each part of a giant wall with local material. In mountainous areas, composed of bricks, in pastures or carpets made of clay. The shape can be round, oval and square. There are 3 types of flare towers, namely the type built on a wall, in a wall or built separately to spy on an enemy.

The gate of Shanhaiguan

The gate structure functions as a fortress in important positions.  Consists of:

• Chengqiang or a defensive wall, with a maximum height of 10 meters. The outside is made of large bricks or granite. The inside is made of yellow soil or a mixture of gravel. On top of the wall can be passed by horsemen. On the side of the wall there is a protective wall shaped square as a place to supervise and take shelter.                                
• Chenglou or tower gate: the door to enter and exit the border, as a place for troops to come out when attacking an enemy. The gate is named after the gap.                               
• Wangcheng: a small wall outside a large wall that serves as a protective gate.                
• Luocheng: Second wall to protect Wucheng.                                                                
• Ditches and deep waterways to slow down enemy movements, provide opportunities to attack quickly.

Badaling giant wall section.

The wall is the main body of the architectural giant wall. Its function is to connect the flare tower, the surveillance tower and the gate into a defensive line. Its height depends on the shape of the plain. Strategic areas are made higher. When crossing mountains or areas with uneven shapes made as low as possible to save material and energy. The average wall height is 23-26 feet.

Important parts on the wall:

• nuqiang, a protective wall on the upper side of the wall structure. Built to protect soldiers and horses on the wall. If a giant wall crosses the side of a steep mountain, only one nuqiang is built to save material      
• duokou or wall slit to lurk. This Doukou is still covered by a layer of walls again as a protector.

• horse track: the path next to the watchtower that horsemen can pass to reach the top of the wall.                                           
• quanmen: curved door on the inside of the wall as an entrance to the wall.

QUESTIONS !

1. in what period was the wall of china built?

2. what is the function of the tower flare?

3. mention important parts on the wall of china?