The Great Wall is not reached by just wishing

In the beginning, during the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, small states independently built walls in the northern regions to fend off the invading nomadic tribes. It was not until Qin Shi Huang unified China that he connected these scattered defensive lines of the states into the Great Wall.

The reason for Qin Shi Huang to build the Great Wall originated from a phrase: "Vong Tần giả, Hồ dã" (The downfall of Qin is caused by the Hồ). Qin Shi Huang misunderstood the word "Hồ" to refer to the northern Hồ tribe. Despite the fact that it was actually the Prince Hồ Hợi who caused the downfall of the Qin dynasty, the legacy left by the emperor who unified China laid the foundation for the Great Wall later on.

Construction of the Great Wall began at the end of the Warring States period, around 221 BC. However, prior to that, the Qin dynasty had already built a massive wall stretching hundreds of kilometers using rammed earth. This enabled them to achieve victory, and with a secure position established, the Qin dynasty then turned their attention northward, leading to the construction of the famous Great Wall.



There are many stories surrounding this wall. It is a symbol of the talent and ingenuity of ancient people and remains an architectural wonder if built in modern times. The wall was constructed in sections, with some of the oldest sections dating back to 221 BC. This was during the end of the Warring States period, and when the Qin dynasty unified the states, they began connecting the defensive walls of their opponents into a unified network. This process only ended during the Ming dynasty, around the mid-1368 to 1644. It is a massive defensive structure, not just a wall, but also a series of watchtowers, fortresses, and hiding places. It stretches for over 20,000 kilometers, but it was not the first defensive wall to be built.

The discovery of ancient sections of the wall was quite surprising when archaeologists were searching for pottery fragments in Shandong Province. They found sections of the wall about 4.5 meters tall and realized it was part of a much larger structure. This structure spans hundreds of kilometers across extremely rugged terrain. The wall runs along rocky mountains, through valleys, and along steep cliffs. Today, much of this wall has nearly disappeared entirely, which is why it receives little attention. Better preserved in high mountain areas, this wall was built around 500 BC by the Qin dynasty.

During their research, archaeologists were surprised to discover another wall in Shandong Province that is believed to have been built before the Great Wall and is the origin of this structure.

The construction of this wall was a massive challenge. Smooth soil had to be brought to the construction site, mixed with mortar, and then poured into molds at the locations where the wall would be formed. These earth blocks were then compacted until they became the sturdy wall that still exists today. Building required tons of smooth soil, all of which had to be transported up the mountain by human and horse power before being used for construction. The purpose of this wall was to protect the Qin dynasty from external enemies and neighboring states.

After the Warring States period, Qin Shi Huang continued the construction of the wall. He directed it towards the northern border, constructing the first sections of the Great Wall. Today, in some sections, the wall still serves as a pathway for local people to travel back and forth.

For more exciting news, follow the official fan page of Inbound Vietnam