SOME Russian researchers (President of the Academy of Fundamental Sciences A.A. Tyunyaev and his associate, Honorary Doctor of the University of Brussels V.I. Semeyko) express doubts about the generally accepted version of the origin of the protective structure on the northern borders of the state of the Qin dynasty. In November 2006, in one of his publications, Andrey Tyunyaev formulated his thoughts on this topic as follows: “As you know, to the north of the territory of modern China there was another, much more ancient civilization. This has been repeatedly confirmed by archaeological discoveries made, in particular, on the territory of Eastern Siberia. Impressive evidence of this civilization, comparable to Arkaim in the Urals, not only has not yet been studied and comprehended by the world historical science, but did not even receive a proper assessment in Russia itself.
As for the so-called "Chinese" wall, it is not quite right to speak of it as an achievement of the ancient Chinese civilization. Here, to confirm our scientific correctness, it is sufficient to cite only one fact. LOOPHOUSES on a significant part of the wall ARE NOT DIRECTIONAL TO THE NORTH, BUT TO THE SOUTH! And this is clearly seen not only in the most ancient, not reconstructed sections of the wall, but even in recent photographs and in works of Chinese drawing.
It is generally accepted that they began to build it in the 3rd century BC. to protect the state of the Qin dynasty from the raids of the "northern barbarians" - the nomadic people of the Xiongnu. In the 3rd century AD, during the Han Dynasty, the construction of the wall was resumed and it was extended to the west.
Over time, the wall began to collapse, but during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), according to Chinese historians, the wall was restored and strengthened. Those sections of it that have survived to our time were built mainly in the 15th-16th centuries.
Over the three centuries of the reign of the Manchu Qing Dynasty (since 1644), the protective structure dilapidated and almost everything collapsed, since the new rulers of the Celestial Empire did not need protection from the north. Only in our time, in the mid-1980s, restoration of sections of the wall began as material evidence of the ancient origin of statehood in the lands of Northeast Asia.
Earlier, the Chinese themselves made a discovery about the belonging of ancient Chinese writing to another people. There are already published works proving that these people were the Slavs of Aria.
In 2008, at the First International Congress "Pre-Cyrillic Slavic Writing and Pre-Christian Slavic Culture" in Leningrad state university named after A.S. Pushkina Tyunyaev made a report "China is the younger brother of Rus'", during which he presented fragments of Neolithic ceramics from the territory
eastern part of northern China. The signs depicted on ceramics did not look like Chinese characters, but showed almost complete coincidence with the Old Russian runic - up to 80 percent.
Based on the latest archaeological data, the researcher expresses the opinion that during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, the population of the western part of Northern China was Caucasoid. Indeed, throughout Siberia, up to China, mummies of Caucasians are found. According to genetic data, this population had the Old Russian haplogroup R1a1.
This version is also supported by the mythology of the ancient Slavs, which tells about the movement of the ancient Rus in an easterly direction - they were led by Bogumir, Slavunya and their son Scythian. These events are reflected, in particular, in the Book of Veles, which, let's make a reservation, is not recognized by academic historians.
Tyunyaev and his supporters draw attention to the fact that the Great Wall of China was built similarly to European and Russian medieval walls, the main purpose of which is protection from firearms. The construction of such structures began no earlier than the 15th century, when cannons and other siege weapons appeared on the battlefields. Before the 15th century, the so-called northern nomads did not have artillery.
Pay attention to which side the sun is shining.
ON THE BASIS of these data, Tyunyaev expresses the opinion that the wall in eastern Asia was built as a defensive structure marking the border between two medieval states. It was erected after an agreement was reached on the delimitation of territories. And this, according to Tyunyaev, is confirmed by the map of that
the time when the border between the Russian Empire and the Qing Empire passed exactly along the wall.
We are talking about a map of the Qing Empire in the second half of the 17th-18th centuries, presented in the academic 10-volume " world history". That map shows in detail the wall that runs exactly along the border between the Russian Empire and the empire of the Manchu dynasty (the Qing Empire).
There are other translations from the French phrase "Muraille de la Chine" - "a wall from China", "a wall delimiting from China". Indeed, in an apartment or in a house, we call the wall that separates us from our neighbors a neighbor's wall, and the wall that separates us from the street - outer wall. We have the same thing with the name of the borders: the Finnish border, the Ukrainian border... In this case, the adjectives indicate only the geographical location of the Russian borders.
It is noteworthy that in medieval Rus' there was the word "whale" - knitting poles that were used in the construction of fortifications. So, the name of the Moscow district Kitay-gorod was given in the 16th century for the same reasons - the building consisted of a stone wall with 13 towers and 6 gates...
According to the opinion, enshrined in the official version of history, the Great Chinese wall began to build in 246 BC. under Emperor Shi Huangdi, its height was from 6 to 7 meters, the purpose of construction was protection from northern nomads.
Russian historian L.N. Gumilyov wrote: “The wall stretched for 4,000 km. Its height reached 10 meters, and watchtowers rose every 60-100 meters. He also noted: “When the work was completed, it turned out that all armed forces China is not enough to organize an effective defense on the wall. In fact, if a small detachment is placed on each tower, then the enemy will destroy it before the neighbors have time to gather and give help. If, however, large detachments are spaced less often, then gaps are formed through which the enemy will easily and imperceptibly penetrate into the interior of the country. A fortress without defenders is not a fortress.”
Moreover, the loophole towers are located on the South side, as if the defenders repelled attacks from the NORTH ????
Andrey Tyunyaev offers to compare two towers - from the Chinese wall and from the Novgorod Kremlin. The shape of the towers is the same: a rectangle, slightly narrowed upwards. From the wall inside both towers there is an entrance blocked round arch, laid out of the same brick as the wall with the tower. Each of the towers has two upper "working" floors. Round-arched windows were made in the first floor of both towers. The number of windows on the first floor of both towers is 3 on one side and 4 on the other. The height of the windows is approximately the same - about 130-160 centimeters.
And what does the comparison of the preserved towers of the Chinese city of Beijing with the medieval towers of Europe say? The fortress walls of the Spanish city of Avila and Beijing are very similar to each other, especially in that the towers are located very often and have practically no architectural adaptations for military needs. Peking towers have only an upper deck with loopholes, and are laid out at the same height as the rest of the wall.
Neither the Spanish nor the Peking towers show such a high resemblance to the defensive towers of the Chinese Wall, as the towers of the Russian Kremlin and fortress walls show. And this is an occasion for reflection for historians.
The Great Wall of China is one of the largest and oldest architectural monuments in the world. Its total length is 8851.8 km, in one of the sections it runs near Beijing. The construction process of this structure is amazing in its scale. We will tell you about the most interesting facts and events from the history of the Wall
To begin with, let's delve a little into the history of the great building. It is hard to imagine how much time and human resources it takes to build a structure of this magnitude. It is unlikely that anywhere else in the world there is a building with such a long, great and at the same time tragic history. The construction of the Great Wall of China began as early as the 3rd century BC during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty, during the Warring States period (475-221 BC). In those days, the state was in dire need of protection from the attacks of enemies, in particular the nomadic people of the Xiongnu. A fifth of the population of China was involved in the work, at that time it was about a million people
The wall was supposed to be the extreme northern point of the planned expansion of the Chinese, as well as to protect the subjects of the “Celestial Empire” from being drawn into a semi-nomadic lifestyle, and assimilation with the barbarians. It was planned to clearly define the boundaries of the great Chinese civilization, to promote the unification of the empire into a single whole, since China was just beginning to form from a multitude of conquered states. Here are the boundaries of the Wall of China on the map:
During the period of the Han Dynasty (206 - 220 BC), the building was expanded to the west to Dunhuang. Many watchtowers were built to protect trade caravans from attacks by warring nomads. Almost all areas Great Wall, which have come down to our times, were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). During this period, they built mainly from bricks and blocks, due to which the structure became stronger and more reliable. During this time, the Wall ran from east to west from Shanhaiguan on the coast of the Yellow Sea to the Yumenguan outpost on the border of the provinces of Gansu and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 
The Qing Dynasty of Manchuria (1644-1911) broke the resistance of the defenders of the Wall due to the betrayal of Wu Sangui. During this period, the building was treated with great disdain. During the three centuries of the Qing in power, the Great Wall was almost destroyed by the influence of time. Only a small section of it, passing near Beijing - Badaling - was kept in order - it was used as a "gateway to the capital". Nowadays, this section of the wall is the most popular among tourists - it was the very first open to the public back in 1957, and also served as the finish point for the cycling race at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. It was visited by US President Nixon In 1899, newspapers in the United States wrote that the wall would be dismantled, and a highway would be laid in its place 
In 1984, at the initiative of Deng Xiaoping, a program was organized to restore Chinese wall, financial assistance from Chinese and foreign companies was attracted. A collection was also held among individuals, everyone could donate any amount 
The total length of the Great Wall of China is 8,851 kilometers and 800 meters. Just think about this figure, is it really impressive?
In our time, a 60-kilometer section of the wall in the Shanxi region in northwest China is undergoing active erosion. The main reason for this is the intensive farming practices in the country, when, starting in the 1950s, groundwater gradually dried up, and the region became the epicenter of the onset of extremely severe sandstorms. More than 40 kilometers of the wall have already been destroyed, and only 10 kilometers are still in place, but the height of the wall has been partially reduced from five to two meters.
The Great Wall was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 as one of China's greatest historical landmarks. In addition, this is one of the most visited attractions in the world - about 40 million tourists visit here every year.
A lot of myths and legends roam around such a large-scale structure. For example, the fact that this is a solid, continuous wall built in one go is a real myth. In reality, the wall is a discontinuous network of separate segments built by various dynasties to protect China's northern border.
During construction, the Great Wall of China was nicknamed the longest cemetery on the planet, as a large number of people died at the construction site. According to approximate calculations, the construction of the wall cost the lives of more than one million people.
It is logical that such a hulk has broken and still holds many records. The most significant of them is the longest structure ever built by man.
As I wrote above, the Great Wall was built as a set individual elements V different times. Each province built its own wall and gradually they united into a single whole. In those days, protective structures were simply necessary, and were built everywhere. In total, more than 50,000 kilometers of defensive walls have been erected in China over the past 2,000 years.
Since the Wall of China was interrupted in some places, it was not difficult for the Mongol invaders led by Genghis Khan to raid China, and they subsequently conquered the northern part of the country between 1211 and 1223. The Mongols ruled China until 1368, when they were driven out by the Ming Dynasty described above.
Contrary to popular belief, the Great Wall of China cannot be seen from space. This pervasive myth was born in 1893 in the American magazine The Century and then re-discussed in 1932, in the Robert Ripley show, who claimed that the wall was visible from the moon - this despite the fact that the first flight into space was still very far away. In our time, it has been proven that it is quite difficult to notice a wall from space with the naked eye. Here is a picture of NASA from space, see for yourself 
Another legend says that the substance used to hold the stones together was mixed with human bone powder, and that those who died at the construction site were buried right in the wall itself to make the structure stronger. But this is not true, the solution was made from ordinary rice flour - and there are no bones or dead in the wall structure.
For obvious reasons, this miracle was not included in the 7 ancient wonders of the world, but the Great Wall of China is rightfully included in the list of 7 new wonders of the world. Another legend says that Fire Dragon paved the way for the workers, indicating where to build the wall. Builders subsequently followed in his footsteps
Since we are talking about legends, one of the most popular is about a woman named Meng Jing Niu, the wife of a farmer working on the construction of the Great Wall. When she learned that her husband died at work, she went to the wall and cried on it until it collapsed, showing the bones of her beloved, and the wife was able to bury them 
There was a whole tradition of burying those who died on the construction of the wall. Members of the family of the deceased carried the coffin, on which was a cage with a white rooster. The crowing of a rooster was supposed to keep the spirit of a dead person awake until the procession had crossed the Great Wall. Otherwise, the spirit will forever wander along the wall. 
During the Ming Dynasty, more than one million soldiers were called upon to defend the country's borders from enemies on the Great Wall. As for the builders, they were drawn from the same defenders in peacetime, peasants, simply unemployed and criminals. There was a special punishment for all convicts and the verdict was the same - to build a wall! 
Especially for this construction, the Chinese invented a wheelbarrow and used it everywhere in the construction of the Great Wall. Some of the most dangerous parts of the Great Wall were surrounded by defensive ditches, which were either filled with water or left as ditches. The Chinese used advanced defense weapons such as axes, hammers, spears, crossbows, halberds, and a Chinese invention: gunpowder. 
Observation towers were built along the length of the Great Wall in even sections and could be up to 40 feet high. They were used to monitor the territory, as well as fortresses and garrisons for troops. They had reserves necessary products and water. In case of danger, a signal was given from the tower, torches, special beacons or just flags were lit. The western section of the Great Wall, with a long chain of watchtowers, served to protect caravans that traveled along the Silk Road, a famous trade route. 
The last battle at the wall took place in 1938 during the Sino-Japanese War. There are many traces of bullets from those times in the wall. The highest point of the Great Wall of China is at an altitude of 1534 meters, near Beijing, while the lowest point is at sea level near Laolongtu. The average height of the wall is 7 meters, and the width in some places reaches 8 meters, but in general it varies from 5 to 7 meters. 
The Great Wall of China is a symbol of national pride, centuries of struggle, and greatness. The country's government spends huge amounts of money on the preservation of this architectural monument, estimated at billions of US dollars a year, hoping to save the wall for future generations.
The Great Wall of China stretched across the northern regions of China People's Republic, through the territories of 17 provinces: from Liaoning to Qinghai.
Including all the branches measured in 2008, the length of the Great Wall of China in its current state reaches 8850 - 8851.9 km (5500 miles).
According to archaeological research, the results of which were made public in 2012, the historical length of the Great Wall of China is 21,196 km (13,170.7 miles).
The measurement of the monument is complicated by the fact that some historical sites have a complex shape, are separated by natural landscape barriers, or have been partially or completely eroded, dismantled by local residents.
The history of the construction of the Great Wall of China
The construction of the Great Wall of China began in the 3rd century BC. e. - in the period of the Warring (Warring) kingdoms (475-221 BC) to protect against nomads. At the same time, the technology of erecting fortifications was used earlier - in the VIII-V centuries BC. e.
The population of the kingdoms of Qin, Wei, Yan, Zhao participated in the construction of the northern defensive walls; in total, about a million people were involved in the work. The first built sections were adobe and even earth-beaten - local materials were pressed. For creating common wall united and early defensive sites between the kingdoms.
In the first centralized state under the emperor Qin Shi Huang (since 221 BC), the early sections were fortified, completed, the single wall was lengthened, and the walls between former kingdoms demolished: all forces are focused on creating a continuous fortification along the Yinshan mountain range to protect against raids. At that time, the total number of mobilized wall builders reached almost 2 million, due to harsh working conditions and poor infrastructure, the death rate was rising. The builders of that time continued to use primitive pressed materials and sun-dried bricks. In some rare areas, mostly in the east, stone slabs were also laid for the first time.
The height of the wall with such a heterogeneous landscape of the area also differed in its different segments. On average, the fortifications rose by 7.5 m, taking into account the rectangular battlements - about 9 m, the width was 5.5 m at the bottom and 4.5 m at the top. Integral part the walls became towers - built at the same time at an arrow distance from each other (about 200 meters) and early ones included in the wall in random order. Signal towers, towers with loopholes and 12 gates were also provided in the grandiose fortress wall.
During the Han Dynasty (206 BC - III century AD), the Great Wall of China was extended west to Dunhuang. According to archaeologists, during this period, about 10,000 km of fortifications were restored and built, which included new watchtowers in the desert area, where trade caravans were required to be protected from nomads.
The next period of wall construction described in historical sources is the 12th century, the ruling dynasty is Jin. However, the sections built at this time were mainly located north of the early wall, within the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia and in the territory of the modern country of Mongolia.
The surviving Great Wall of China was mostly built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). For the construction of fortifications, durable stone blocks and bricks were used, and a mixture was used as a binder. rice porridge With slaked lime. During the long reign of the Ming, the fortress wall stretched from east to west from the Shanhaiguan outpost on the shore of the Bohai Bay to the Yumenguan outpost, located on the modern border of Gansu Province and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Okrug. These strongholds from the sea to the desert are now designated as the beginning and end of the Great Wall of China.
Interesting facts about the Great Wall of China
- Since 1957, more than 300 statesmen from different countries peace. The first of the foreigners was the revolutionary Klim Voroshilov.
- Since 1999, the marathon The Great Wall Marathon on the equipped section of the wall. It is attended by 2500 athletes from more than 60 countries of the world.
- The visual distinction of the Great Wall of China from space is a common myth. The misconception that the wall can be seen from the Moon with the naked eye has now been refuted. Visibility from earth orbit has not yet been confirmed, photographs of the Great Wall of China from space cannot serve as evidence, since the resolution of the cameras used is higher than the capabilities of the human visual system.
Sections of the Great Wall of China
For tourists, only a small part of the Great Wall of China is equipped and permanently available. Restored sites near Beijing are designed for mass tourism.
Badaling
The Badaling site was built during the Ming Dynasty and comprehensively restored under Mao Zedong. This is the first section of the Great Wall of China open to the public. The length is about 50 km. Thus, tourism in Badaling has been developing since 1957, and now it is a well-known and most visited site, also due to its location - just 70 km from Beijing, connected to the capital by bus and train express trains.
Entrance fee: 45 CNY from April to October, 40 CNY from November to March.
Opening hours: from 6:40 to 18:30.
Mutianyu
This is the second closest to Beijing (about 80 km from the city center) and also a very popular section of the Great Wall of China, the length is 2.2 km. Mutianyu is located outside the Huaizhou district, connected to Jiankou in the west and Lianhuachi in the east. The foundation of this section is older than Badaling: the first wall was built in the 6th century under the Northern Qi, the wall of the Ming Dynasty was built on the preserved foundation. In 1569, Mutianyu was restored, the site has been perfectly preserved to this day, it is located in a picturesque environment of forests and streams. Another feature of Mutianyu is a large number of staircases.
Entrance fee - 40 CNY, for seniors over 60 years old and children 1.2-1.4 m tall - 20 CNY. Children under 1.2 m - free of charge.
Opening hours: the second half of March - mid-November from 7:30 to 18:00 (on weekends - until 18:30), other days of the year - from 8:00 to 17:00.
Simatai
The 5.4 km section of Simatai is located 145 km from the center of Beijing. In the western part of this segment, 20 watchtowers are well preserved. The eastern wall has a steep slope due to the rugged terrain with rocks. The total number of towers in Simatai is 35.
Simatai has fewer restoration replicas, but the route is more difficult. Of particular interest are the towers; Heavenly bridge - a section up to 40 cm wide; Heavenly Ladder - climb at an angle of 85 degrees. The most extreme areas are closed to tourists.
Entrance fee - 40 CNY for an adult, 20 CNY for a child with a height of 1.2 - 1.5 m. Free - for children under 1.2 m.
Opening hours (day and evening shifts): April-October - from 8:00 to 18:00 and from 18:00 to 22:00; November - March - from 8:00 to 17:30 and from 17:30 to 21:00 (on weekends - until 21:30).
Gubeikou
Mostly "wild" and not restored section of the wall in the Gubeikou area, 146-150 km from Beijing. It was built during the Ming Dynasty on the foundation of an ancient wall of the 6th century, has not been rebuilt since the 16th century, has retained its authentic appearance, although not as impressive as on Simatai and Jinshalin.
The wall in this area is divided by the city of Gubeikou into two parts - Wohushan (4.8 km, the main attraction is the "Sister Towers") and Panlongshan (about 5 km, the "24-eyed tower" is noteworthy - with 24 observation holes).
Entrance fee - 25 CNY.
Opening hours: from 8:10 to 18:00.
Jinshalin
Located in the mountainous area of Luanping County, 156 km from the center of Beijing by road. Jinshalin is connected to Simatai in the east and Mutianyu in the west.
The length of the Jinshalin wall is 10.5 kilometers, it includes 67 towers and 3 signal towers.
The initial section of the wall has been restored, but its general condition is close to natural, gradually deteriorating.
Entrance fee: from April to October - 65 CNY, from November to March - 55 CNY.
Huanghuachen
Huanghuachen is the only lakeside part of the Great Wall of China in the vicinity of Beijing. The distance from the city center is about 80 km. This is an interesting hiking route, especially picturesque in summer. The wall at Haoming Lake was built from 1404 for 188 years. Now this segment reaches 12.4 km, in some places the stone masonry segments of the wall are submerged in water.
Entrance fee - 45 CNY. Children up to 1.2 m - free of charge.
Opening hours: from April to October on weekdays - from 8:30 to 17:00; on the weekends of May 1-7 and October 1-7 - from 8:00 to 18:00; from November to March - from 8:30 to 16:30.
Juanya Pass
Huanyaguang, or Huangya Pass, built along the mountains, stretching for 42 km from General Pass in Beijing to Malan Pass in Hebei, originally included 52 watchtowers and 14 signal towers. However, due to the lack of repair, most of this wall has been destroyed. Since 2014, about 3 km of the structure and 20 towers have been restored. Attractions include the Widow's Tower, an ancient part of the Northern Qi Dynasty wall at the end of the Chania Sky stairs, and the Great Wall Museum.
The distance to Huanyagang from the center of Beijing is about 120 km.
Entrance fee - 50 CNY. Children up to 1.2 m - free of charge.
Open for tourists from 7:30 to 18:30.
shanhaiguan
The iconic part of the wall: it is here that one of its ends is located - the "Dragon's Head", leaving for the Yellow Sea. It is located 15 km from Qinhuangdao and 305 km from Beijing.
The plan of the Shanhaiguan fortress is in the form of a square with a perimeter of about 7 km (4.5 mi) with a gate on each side. The eastern wall was the main line of defense of the pass, known as the "First Pass under the Sky".
Entrance to Old city in the fortress, the Museum of the Great Wall of China - free of charge. "First pass under the sky" - 40 CNY in summer, 15 CNY in winter.
Opening hours - from 7:00 to 18:00 during the period May - October, from 7:30 to 17:00 from November to April. The museum is open from 8:00 to 17:00.
Purple marble wall sections
Fortifications made of purple marble as part of the Great Wall of China are considered the most durable and beautiful. They were built from marble mined in local deposits. Two sites are located near the city of Jiang'an, another one is in the Yanyshan mountains. It is hardly possible to check the information in practice: the listed walls are closed for mass tourism.
How to get to the Great Wall of China
The most accessible area in terms of transport is Badaling. However, you can also get to other surviving parts of the Great Wall of China on your own.
How to get to the Great Wall of China from Beijing
From Beijing to Badaling get there by transport:
- bus No. 877 (express from Deshengmen stop, 12 CNY);
- public bus number 919 (it takes longer, with stops, you need to check whether it will take you to Badaling;
- by S2 train from Huangtudian station, then by free bus to Badaling cable car station;
- by special tourist buses: from stops Qianmen, East Bridge, Xizhimen Gate, Beijing railway station.
From Beijing Airport to the Great Wall of China(Badalina) you can get there with a transfer (metro / bus + bus or metro / bus + train) or using a transfer - such offers are enough for both groups and individual travelers.
Transport to the wall Mutianyu from Beijing (with transfer):
- from Dongzhimen station by bus No. 916 (express or regular) to Huairou North Avenue (Huairou Beidajie);
- transfer to the transfer bus h23, h24, h35, or h36 to Mutianyu.
Transport from Beijing to the Wall Simatai(with 1 transfer):
- Bus No. 980 / 980 Express (respectively 15 / 17 CNY) from Dongzhimen to Miyun Bus Station;
- then - by bus Mi 37, Mi 50 or Mi 51 (8 CNY) to Simatai village.
To get to Gubeikou From Beijing, you need to take the No. 980 express bus from Dongzhimen to Miyun Bus Station, then take the Mi 25 bus to your destination.
Jinshalin from Beijing:
- by metro (line 13 or 15) to West Wangjing, then by tourist bus to the destination (departs at 8:00 and returns at 15:00, fare 32 CNY); relevant only in the season from April to November 15;
- from Dongzhimen by bus number 980 to Miyun County, then on your own (with a companion, by rental car, taxi) to Jinshalin.
Huanyaguan from Beijing:
- by intercity bus to Jizhou (30-40 CNY), then by local charter minibus to Hanyaguang (25-30 CNY);
- train to Jizhou from Beijing East Railway Station (14.5 CNY), then by charter minibus.
Transport from Beijing to the Great Wall of China on site Huanghuachen:
- from Dongzhimen by special tour bus during the peak season from April to October (weekends and public holidays). You need to purchase a round-trip ticket - Huanghuacheng Lakeside Great Wall for 80 CNY; Beijing Badaling
Great Wall of China HD video
The Great Wall of China - one of the most grandiose structures of all times and peoples - has become a symbol of China, which literally all civilized people have heard of.
The eighth wonder of the world, the longest in the world, “Wan li chang cheng” (“Wall of ten thousand li”) – this is how the Great Wall was called at different times. And although the last name can suggest the real size of the ancient Chinese wall (1 li is equal to 576 m), different sources give different numbers. According to some assumptions, its length does not exceed 4 thousand kilometers, according to others - it is more than 5 thousand kilometers. The average height of the wall is 6.6 m (in some sections up to 10 m), the width of the lower part is about 6.5 m, the upper part is about 5.5 m. This width allowed two horse-drawn carts to pass. Throughout the Great Wall of China, casemates for protection and watchtowers were built, and fortresses were built at the main mountain passes.
The construction of the first wall began in the 3rd century BC. e. during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi-huangdi (Qin dynasty), during the period of the Warring States (475-221 BC) to protect the state from the raids of the nomadic Xiongnu people. One fifth of the then population of the country, i.e., about a million people, took part in the construction.
The wall was supposed to serve as the extreme northern line of the possible expansion of the Chinese themselves, it was supposed to protect the subjects of the “Middle Empire” from switching to a semi-nomadic way of life, from merging with the barbarians. The wall was supposed to clearly fix the boundaries of Chinese civilization, to promote the consolidation of a single empire, just made up of a number of conquered kingdoms.
During the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD), the wall was extended west to Dunhuang. A line of watchtowers was also built, going deep into the desert, to protect trade caravans from nomadic raids. Those sections of the Great Wall that have survived to our time were built mainly during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In this era, the main building materials were brick and stone blocks, which made the construction more reliable. During the reign of the Ming, the Wall stretched from east to west from the Shanhaiguan gate on the shores of the Bohai Bay of the Yellow Sea to the Yumenguan gate at the junction of modern Gansu provinces and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The Great Wall of China was built with such skill and durability that it still stands today. And this is the only man-made structure on our planet, which is visible even from space. The Chinese wall stretches along cities, through deserts, valleys, deep gorges - through the whole of modern China. When it was built, it turned the country to the south into a huge, well-defended fortress.
But neither the Great Wall nor the cruelty of rule helped the Qin dynasty. A few years after the death of the first Chinese emperor, the Qin dynasty was overthrown.
However, the state experience of the Qin Empire was developed and multiplied by the new Han Empire, which was formed at the end of the 3rd century BC. e. and lasted over four hundred years. In the Han Empire, the Chinese fully realized themselves as one people, and today they call themselves Han.
Destruction and restoration of the wall
The Manchurian Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), having overcome the Wall with the help of the betrayal of Wu Sangui, treated the Wall with disdain. During the three centuries of Qing rule, the Great Wall almost collapsed under the influence of time. Only a small part of it near Beijing - Badaling - was maintained in order - it served as a kind of "gateway to the capital". In 1899, American newspapers started a rumor that the wall would be completely demolished and a highway built in its place.
In 1984, at the initiative of Deng Xiaoping, a program was launched to restore the Great Wall of China, funded by Chinese and foreign companies, as well as individuals.
It is reported that a 60-kilometer section of the wall in the Minging region of Shanxi region in the northwest of the country is undergoing active erosion. The reason is the intensive farming practices in China since the 1950s, which have dried up groundwater, and as a result, this region has become the main source and center of powerful sandstorms. More than 40 km of the wall has already disappeared, and only 10 km are still in place, but the height of the wall in some places has decreased from five to two meters.
Today, the Great Wall of China attracts tourists from all over the world. No description of the Chinese capital can do without mentioning it. The Chinese claim that the history of this wall is half of the history of China and one cannot understand China without visiting the wall. According to scientists, if all the materials used in the construction of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty were folded into a wall with a thickness of one and a height of five meters, then its length would be enough to encircle the globe. If we also deal with all the materials used by the Qin, Han and Ming dynasties, then such an impromptu “wall” can encircle the earth more than 10 times.
Secrets of the Great Wall of China
This building is rightfully considered the greatest achievement of world civilization. The Great Wall of China is truly unique, and the mysteries of this monumental man-made structure are innumerable. The “stone belt” of the Celestial Empire still surprises researchers, and many questions remain unanswered. Some versions, assumptions, hypotheses. Here is one of them. Let's make a reservation that this is only a timid attempt to unravel the mystery.
The idea of a great tyrant
The first thing that immediately baffles is the practical significance of the Great Wall of China. Because people just don't do anything. Indeed, who would come up with the crazy idea to invest titanic labor and astronomical means in the creation of an unnecessary structure? Historically, there was a version that during the period of unification of disparate, eternally warring and warring ancient Chinese principalities under the rule of a single bogdykhan (emperor), it became necessary to strengthen the borders of the new state. Protect the northern borders of the empire from the nomads gaining strength. Only under this condition, the rulers thought, it was possible to effectively reform the empire.
It was decided to self-isolate from the outside world. From the east, south and west, Ancient China is fenced off from its neighbors by natural barriers: mountains, deserts, seas. The north of the state remained uncovered. The very idea of building a wall belonged to the greatest reformer and tyrant, the sovereign Shi-Huangdi of the Qin dynasty. The project, even on paper, was grandiose and impressive in scope. The total length of the wall fortification was to be more than six thousand kilometers. Mind unbelievable!
No labor shortage
The colossal wall was built by millions of people. But to consider them slaves is also not true. Qualified craftsmen and architects were needed. After all, it was supposed to build for millennia. In those distant times, serving the ruler was perceived by the common people as a sacred and honorable duty. Mortals meekly went to work to pay tribute to the anointed of the Lord. Encouragement and incentive? Thanks from the heavenly powers and the divine emperor! Tens of thousands of people were ready to lay down their bones for the hardest work.
According to the project, at a distance of about seven meters from each other, two main bearing walls a little less than a meter thick sandstone hard rock. The resulting gap was covered with soil with clay and carefully compacted to a state close to a monolith. At the top there was a jagged curb, which served as a shelter for the defenders of the wall. The width is such that six heavily armed horsemen can freely ride on the wall. At regular intervals of 1 li (about half a kilometer), the wall is interrupted by a massive watchtower (<костром>), which protected the gates of the through passage.
The name of the tower speaks for itself. At night, the guards built a large fire on it, which served as a beacon. In case of danger, it was hastily extinguished, which was a signal for nearby garrisons and alarm guards. They immediately rushed to protect the object from enemies. But it is strange: other peoples also had such a danger warning system - they lit fires only to signal an alarm. The Chinese did the opposite. Why? Let's look at the wall line. If the defensive structure is designed to protect the empire from enemies, then why was the construction not completed? Logically, the wall should run from the very coast of the East China Sea to the remote spurs of Tibet. In this case, its functionality is clear and justified. One end, indeed, bears this load, but the other leaves an impressive many kilometers of passage uncovered. What is this? Long-term construction due to lack of funds and forces? Strange. And it doesn’t look like hardworking God-fearing Chinese. And even more so for ambitious ancient tyrants. After all, the construction is intended to perpetuate Qin Shi Huangdi, and not to disgrace him before future generations. If the main part of the stone giant had already been erected, then they could have pulled themselves together. The gap, by the way, was often used by numerous invaders to invade Inner China. What kind of defensive function is this? Apparently it's something else. But where is the answer to this question?
Higher Mathematics of the Ancient Chinese
Meanwhile, Emperor Qin Shi-Huangdi, during the construction, constantly conferred with astrologers and consulted with soothsayers. According to legend, the glory of the sovereign and the eternity of the defensive line could be brought by a terrible sacrifice - the burial of a million people in the compacted soil filler. These nameless builders stood on the eternal guard of the borders of the Celestial Empire. Their bodies were buried in an upright position. If you believe the statements about the materiality of the human soul and its periodic return to the place of burial of a mortal body, one can imagine what a powerful energy force is sometimes concentrated in this place.
Researchers of anomalous phenomena tend to consider the millionth burial as nothing more than a power battery of colossal size and capacity. If so, what should it energize? Mathematical calculations showed that the ancient Chinese must have known integral and differential calculus. But even in the Middle Ages they did not possess such knowledge. And large-scale work began in the 220s BC. Chinese scientists, of course, worked with irrational numbers and infinitesimals. Might as well know the rules<золотого сечения>. But for such a grandiose project and its implementation, this is not enough. There were no aerial photographs at that time, there were no accurate maps of the earth's surface either, there was no talk of geodesy. Who, then, advised the ancient architects and builders? Who was the author of the project and a consultant at a huge construction site? Modern researchers suggest the participation of outsiders in grandiose works. Who they were, one can only guess, but it seems that they were not Earthlings. All the ancient civilizations studied to date did not have the fullness of knowledge that would allow designing the Great Wall of China. Perhaps they were representatives of some dead cultures not yet discovered by modern science. It is possible that they could be extraterrestrial aliens or earthly heirs (survived?) of aliens: the Great Wall of China is the only man-made terrestrial object that is clearly visible from space. She follows a strictly defined line. It was believed that it meanders, and does not stretch in a straight line due to the features of the relief or differences in the density of the surface soil. But if you look closely, you can find that even in flat areas it winds. This means that natural disturbances have nothing to do with it, and there is a different practical meaning.
The imposition of the well-known geographic grid of parallels and meridians on the map of the wall shows that it almost exactly repeats the thirtieth parallel. This is all the more strange because the line is purely conditional. Although it is this conditional line that is a kind of equator that equally divides the earth's land. The equator itself divides the earth's surface. Try to divide the Eurasian continent in half right on the map, and: a straight line will not work. Perhaps that is why the Great Wall of China winds. It is also known that the axis of rotation of our planet changes its angle over time. Recent calculations have restored the position of the 30th parallel 2200 years ago and the approximate configuration of the continent. So - in those distant times, the wall went almost along the parallel. Hence one of its traditional names -<Золотая середина империи>. The golden mean is a certain optimum, a zero mark, a line of harmony. Question: did the Chinese sovereigns threaten to own all the land? Try to move further from the wall, along the 30th parallel, and you will stumble first on the Egyptian pyramids, and then: on the Bermuda Triangle. Isn't it a strange coincidence? But that's not all! Adjusted for the constant seismic movement of the earth's firmament, we will run into another mystery. All three super-mysterious objects are equidistant from each other! What is this, is it just a coincidence? Does not look like it.
Intergalactic Communications Complex
It is known that any physical body has a certain electrical potential. Scientists from scientific fields related to physics investigated the known anomalous places of our planet. The earth has a permanent electrical charge. The Great Wall of China is located not just anywhere, but at the point of outflow of potential to the north and south. According to the laws of electrodynamics, the movement of the Earth around the Sun generates an electromagnetic wave, the phase velocity of which is significantly more speed Sveta. These are sufficient conditions for establishing communication with space. Isn't this the reason for such a strange design and configuration of the wall? External walls can be used as a two-wire communication line. A signal was supposedly launched through them, which interfered with the natural electromagnetic field of the Earth and changed its structure. Please, the information has been sent! A tempting hypothesis. Now the version about the purpose of the pyramids of Giza as a receiving complex for intergalactic communications fits neatly into it. Moreover, both objects are still in good condition and do not require repairs. That is - the equipment is in full readiness! According to the assumptions of scientists, there may be transceiver complexes on the planets closest to us. Most appropriate place for him in the solar system - Mars. It also appears to be in good condition. It is possible that the terrestrial radio station is actively used today from space. It is a pity that so far without our participation.
Despite the fact that the height of the Great Wall of China is about ten meters, climbing it is much easier than descending. The ascent is cheerful, fun, fervently, but the descent is a real torture. All steps have different heights - from 5 to 30 centimeters, so you need to look extremely carefully under your feet. Descending from such a height, the main thing is not to stop, since it will be extremely difficult to continue the descent after a stop. Nevertheless, the Great Wall of China is the place where every tourist wants to visit.
Despite such difficulties, the tourist will be provided with vivid impressions for a lifetime, and he will be able to feel like a 100% local resident. After all, it is not for nothing that the Chinese like to repeat the words of Mao Zedong: whoever has not climbed the Wall is not a Chinese. The Great Wall of China from space is also a frequently requested tourist request, as the grandiose structure has a unique view from space.
The Great Wall of China is the largest architectural monument that has ever been erected by human hands. Its total length (including branches) is almost nine thousand kilometers (however, some researchers argue that the length of the Great Wall of China actually exceeds 21 thousand km). The width of the wall is from 5 to 8 meters, the height is about ten. Some facts say that at one time it was used as a road, and in some places additional fortifications and fortresses were erected near it.
Who built the Great Wall of China and how did it happen? Officially, the construction of the wall began in the third century BC by order of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The original purpose of the construction was to protect the country from barbarian raids. It fixed the borders of the Chinese empire, which at that time consisted of several conquered kingdoms, and thus contributed to the formation of a single state. It was also intended for the Chinese themselves, since it was supposed to prevent them from leaving the country, returning to a semi-nomadic way of life and merging with the barbarians.
The Great Wall of China is also interesting in that it fits extremely organically into the surrounding landscape and can even be argued that it forms an integral composition with it. And all because during construction it smoothly went around mountains, spurs, hills, deep gorges.
In our time, the Great Wall of China and its length leaves tourists with an ambiguous opinion about themselves. On the one hand, restoration work has been carried out in some places, lighting and illumination have been added. On the other hand, in places where tourists are a rare occurrence, it is completely abandoned, and the few travelers who fall on it have to wade through thick bushes, crumbling steps and areas that are dangerous to such an extent that you almost need to crawl through them (Otherwise you can break).
The height of the walls of this amazing structure is on average about seven and a half meters (if we take into account the rectangular teeth, then all nine), the width at the top is 5.5 m, at the bottom - 6.5 m. Two types of towers are built into the wall, mainly - rectangular shape:
- The towers that existed before construction are less wide than the wall;
- The towers that were built at the same time as it were erected every two hundred meters.
The wall provides for the presence of signal towers - from them the soldiers watched the enemies and transmitted signals.
Where does the wall start?
The Great Wall of China begins in the northern city of Shanhai-guan (it is located on the shores of the Bohai Bay of the Yellow Sea) and is the easternmost point of the Long Wall (this is how the Chinese call this structure).
Considering that for the Chinese the Great Wall of China symbolizes an earthen dragon, its head is the Laoluntou (Dragon's Head) tower, from which this grandiose structure originates. Moreover, it is interesting that Laoluntou is not only the beginning of the Great Wall of China, but also the only place in China where it is washed by the sea, and it itself goes directly 23 meters into the bay.
Where does the wall end
From Laoluntou, the Great Wall of China zigzags across half the country to the Center of China and ends near the city of Jiayuguan - this is where it is best preserved. Despite the fact that the fortpost was built here in the XIV century, it was constantly restored and strengthened, thanks to which, over time, it became the best outpost of the Celestial Empire.
According to one of the legends, the craftsmen calculated the amount of material needed for the construction of the walls so accurately that when the construction was completed, only one brick remained, which, as a symbol of respect for the ancient builders, was subsequently placed on the arch. outer wall gate to the west.
An outpost was erected near Jiayuyoshan Mountain and it consists of a semicircular outer adobe wall in front of the main gate, a moat, an earthen rammed embankment and an inner wall. As for the gates, they are located on the eastern and western sides of the outpost. Here is the Yuntai Tower - it is interesting because on its internal walls you can see carved bas-reliefs of heavenly kings and Buddhist texts.
Lost section of wall
A few years ago, on the border with Mongolia, scientists found a fragment of a wall that was erected during the Han Dynasty, about which the researchers had no idea before. Five years later, its continuation was discovered already in the territory of neighboring Mongolia.
building a wall
One Chinese legend says that the mortar used to hold the stones together was made from a powder prepared from the bones of people who died while working on a construction site. Naturally, this is not true: ancient masters prepared mortar from ordinary rice flour.
Interesting Facts they say that up to the era of the reign of the Qin dynasty, any materials at hand were used in the construction of the walls. To do this, layers of clay, small pebbles were laid out between the rods, sometimes unbaked, sun-dried bricks were used. It is because of the use of such building materials that the Chinese called their wall the “earth dragon”.
When the representatives of the Qin dynasty came to power, stone slabs were used to build the wall, which were laid back to back on the rammed earth. True, the stone was used mainly in the east of the country, since it was not difficult to get it there. In the western lands, it was difficult to access, so the walls were built from a rammed embankment.
pre-construction
erect long wall began in the third century BC, even before the unification of the kingdoms into one empire, when they fought with each other. More than one million people took part in its construction, which was 1/5 of the total Chinese population.
First of all, it was needed in order to protect the cities, which turned into large shopping centers, from nomads. The first walls were adobe structures. Since at that time a single Celestial Empire did not yet exist, several kingdoms began to build them around their possessions at once:
- Kingdom of Wei - circa 352 BC;
- The kingdoms of Qin and Zhao - about 300 BC;
- Yan Kingdom - circa 289 BC
Emperor Qin Shi Huang: Beginning of construction
After Shi Huangdi united the kingdoms at war with each other into one country, the Celestial Empire became an extremely powerful power. It was then that the commander Meng Tian received the order to begin construction (primarily near the ridge of the Yingshan mountain range).
For the construction, first of all, already used existing walls: they were fortified and connected to new sites. At the same time, the walls separating the kingdoms were demolished.
They built the wall for ten years, and the work was extremely difficult: difficult terrain for such work, lack of adequate food and water, numerous epidemics and hard work. As a result, more than one thousand people died here (therefore, this wall is unofficially called the longest cemetery on the planet).
The Chinese had a whole funeral ceremony specially designed for those who lost their lives on construction work. While the relatives of the deceased were carrying the coffin, there was a cage with a white rooster in it. According to legend, the cries of the bird kept the spirit of a dead person awake until the funeral procession crossed the Long Wall. If this is not done, then the spirit of the deceased will wander along the structure that destroyed him until the end of the century.
Researchers claim the construction of the wall played an important role in the overthrow of the Qin dynasty.
Construction during the Han Dynasty
When the Han Dynasty (206 BC -220 AD) began to rule the country, construction continued to the west, and thus reached Dunhuang. In addition, at that time it was connected to watchtowers located in the desert (their main purpose was to protect caravans from nomads).
Representatives of the Han Dynasty reconstructed the already existing walls and completed about ten thousand kilometers more (which is twice as much as their predecessors). About 750 thousand people took part in the construction.
Construction during the Ming Dynasty
Sections of the wall that have been well preserved to this day, from 1368 to 1644. built by the Ming Dynasty. To do this, they used brick and stone blocks, which made the structure much stronger and more reliable than before. It was at this time that the Great Wall of China was built in Shanhaiguan and connected to the western outpost of Yumenguan.
The effectiveness of the wall as a defense structure
Despite the fact that the Chinese managed to build a wall of impressive proportions, it was no good as a defense structure: the enemies easily found poorly fortified areas in last resort- tritely bribed the guards.
An example of the effectiveness of this structure as a defensive structure can well be the words of the medieval historian Wang Sitong, who said that when the authorities announced the construction of a wall in the east of the country, the barbarians would certainly attack from the west. They easily destroyed the walls, climbed over them and robbed - what they wanted and where they wanted. When they left, the walls began to be built again.
Despite all the criticisms, in our time, the Chinese have given their wall a new meaning - it has come to symbolize the invincibility, endurance and creative power of the nation.
What breaks down the wall
Fragments of the wall, which are far from the tourist pilgrimage, are in a terrible state. At the same time, it is not only time that destroys them. The facts say that in Gansu province, due to the irrational way of farming, almost all underground sources have dried up, therefore, in Lately this area became the site of the strongest sandstorms. Because of this, about forty kilometers of the wall (out of fifty) have already disappeared from the face of the earth, and the height has decreased from 5 to 2 meters.
A few years ago, in Hebei province, a section of the wall, the length of which was about thirty-six meters, collapsed due to days of heavy rain.
Quite often, the wall is dismantled by local residents when they are going to build a village where it passes, or they simply need building stone to build their houses. Other facts indicate that the wall is being destroyed during the construction of the highway, railway and so on. Some "artists" raise their hands to paint the walls with graffiti, which also does not contribute to the integrity of the image.
