SOME Russian researchers (President of the Academy of Basic Sciences A.A. Tyunyaev and his like-minded person, honorary doctor of the University of Brussels V.I. Semeiko) express doubts about the generally accepted version of the origin of the protective structure on the northern borders of the Qin Dynasty state. In November 2006, in one of his publications, Andrei 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, in 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 proper assessment in Russia itself.”
As for the so-called “Chinese” wall, it is not entirely legitimate to talk about it as an achievement of ancient Chinese civilization. Here, to confirm our scientific correctness, it is enough to cite only one fact. THE LOOPS on a significant part of the wall ARE NOT DIRECTED TO THE NORTH, BUT TO THE SOUTH! And this is clearly visible not only in the most ancient, unreconstructed sections of the wall, but even in recent photographs and works of Chinese drawing.
It is generally accepted that it began to be built back in the 3rd century BC. to protect the state of the Qin dynasty from the attacks of the “northern barbarians” - the nomadic Xiongnu people. In the 3rd century AD, during the Han Dynasty, construction of the wall was resumed and it was expanded westward.
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 parts of it that have survived to this day were built mainly in the 15th - 16th centuries.
During the three centuries of the Manchu Qing dynasty (from 1644), the defensive structure became dilapidated and almost everything was destroyed, since the new rulers of the Celestial Empire did not need protection from the north. Only in our time, in the mid-1980s, did restoration of sections of the wall begin as material evidence of the ancient origin of statehood in the lands of Northeast Asia.
Previously, the Chinese themselves made the discovery that ancient Chinese writing belonged to another people. There are already published works proving that these people were the Aryan Slavs.
In 2008, at the First International Congress “Pre-Cyrillic Slavic Literature and Pre-Christian Slavic Culture” in Leningrad state university named after A.S. Pushkin 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 North China. The signs depicted on the ceramics did not look like Chinese characters, but demonstrated almost complete coincidence with the Old Russian runica - up to 80 percent.
The researcher, based on the latest archaeological data, expresses the opinion that during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages the population of the western part of Northern China was Caucasian. Indeed, throughout Siberia, right up to China, mummies of Caucasians are being discovered. 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 eastern direction - they were led by Bogumir, Slavunya and their son Scythian. These events are reflected, in particular, in the Book of Veles, which, let us make a reservation, is not recognized by academic historians.
Tyunyaev and his supporters point out that the Great Wall of China was built similarly to European and Russian medieval walls, the main purpose of which was 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 from which side the sun is shining.
BASED ON THIS 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
time when the border between the Russian Empire and the Qing Empire passed precisely along the wall.
We are talking about a map of the Qing Empire of the second half of the 17th-18th centuries, presented in the academic 10-volume “ World history" That map shows in detail a wall running exactly along the border between the Russian Empire and the empire of the Manchu dynasty (Qing Empire).
There are other translation options from the French phrase “Muraille de la Chine” - “wall from China”, “wall delimiting from China”. After all, in an apartment or in a house we call the wall that separates us from our neighbors the neighbor’s wall, and the wall that separates us from the street - outer wall. We have the same thing when naming borders: Finnish border, 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 a word “kita” - a knitting of poles that were used in the construction of fortifications. Thus, the name of the Moscow district Kitai-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 construction 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 thousand km. Its height reached 10 meters, and watchtowers rose every 60-100 meters.” He noted: “When the work was completed, it turned out that everyone armed forces There won't be enough China to mount an effective defense on the wall. In fact, if you place a small detachment on each tower, the enemy will destroy it before the neighbors have time to gather and send help. If large detachments are placed less frequently, gaps will be created through which the enemy can easily and unnoticed penetrate into the interior of the country. A fortress without defenders is not a fortress.”
Moreover, the towers of the loophole are located on the South side, as if the defenders were repelling attacks from the NORTH????
Andrey Tyunyaev proposes 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 at the top. There is an entrance leading into both towers from the wall, which is blocked round arch, made of the same brick as the wall with the tower. Each of the towers has two upper “working” floors. On the first floor of both towers there are round-arched windows. 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.
What does a comparison of the surviving 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 the fact that the towers are located very often and have practically no architectural adaptations for military needs. The Beijing 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 Beijing towers show such a high similarity with the defensive towers of the Chinese Wall, as do the towers of Russian kremlins and fortress walls. And this is something for historians to think about.
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 passes 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
First, let's delve a little into the history of the great structure. It is difficult to imagine how much time and human resources are required to build a structure of this scale. It is unlikely that anywhere else in the world there will be a building with such a long, great and at the same time tragic history. Construction of the Great Wall of China began in 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 attacks by enemies, in particular the nomadic Xiongnu people. A fifth of the Chinese population was involved in the work, at that time it was about a million people
The wall was supposed to become the northernmost point of the planned expansion of the Chinese, as well as 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 and to promote the unification of the empire into a single whole, since China was just beginning to form from many conquered states. Here are the boundaries of the Chinese Wall on the map:
During the Han Dynasty (206 - 220 BC), the structure was expanded westward to Dunhuang. They built many watchtowers to protect trade caravans from attacks by warring nomads. Almost all areas Great Wall, which have survived to our times, were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). During this period, they built mainly from bricks and blocks, thanks to which the structure became stronger and more reliable. During this time, the Wall ran from east to west from Shanhaiguan on the shores of the Yellow Sea to the Yumenguan outpost on the border of Gansu provinces and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 
The Qing Dynasty of Manchuria (1644-1911) broke the resistance of the Wall defenders due to the betrayal of Wu Sangui. During this period, the building was treated with great disdain. During the three centuries that the Qing remained in power, the Great Wall was practically destroyed under the influence of time. Only a small section of it, passing near Beijing - Badaling - was preserved in order - it was used as a “gate 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 finishing point of the cycling race at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. US President Nixon visited it. In 1899, newspapers in the US wrote that the wall would be dismantled and a highway would be built in its place. 
In 1984, on the initiative of Deng Xiaoping, a restoration program was organized Chinese wall, financial assistance from Chinese and foreign companies was attracted. A collection was also held among individuals; anyone could donate any amount. 
The total length of the Great Wall of China is 8 thousand 851 kilometers and 800 meters. Just think about this figure, isn’t it impressive?
Nowadays, a 60-kilometer section of the wall in the Shanxi region in northwestern China is undergoing active erosion. The main reason for this is intensive management methods Agriculture in the country, when groundwater gradually dried up starting in the 1950s, and the region became the epicenter of extremely strong sand storms. 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 partially decreased from five to two meters
The Great Wall was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 as one of China's greatest historical sites. In addition, this is one of the most visited attractions in the world - about 40 million tourists come here every year
There are many myths and legends surrounding such a large-scale structure. For example, the fact that this is a solid, continuous wall, built in one approach is a real myth. In reality, the wall is a discontinuous network of individual segments built by various dynasties to protect China's northern border
During its construction, the Great Wall of China was called the longest cemetery on the planet because a large number of people died at the construction site. According to rough estimates, the construction of the wall cost the lives of more than one million people
It is logical that such a giant 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 many individual elements V different times. Each province built its own wall and gradually they were 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 built in China over the past 2,000 years.
Because the Chinese Wall was broken in some places, the Mongol invaders led by Genghis Khan had little difficulty in raiding 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 on Robert Ripley's show, which claimed that the wall was visible from the moon - even though the first flight into space was still very far away. Nowadays, it has been proven that it is quite difficult to notice a wall from space with the naked eye. Here's a NASA photo from space, see for yourself 
Another legend says that the substance used to hold the stones together was mixed with powder from human bones, and that those killed 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 quite rightly included in the list of 7 new wonders of the world. Another legend says that big Fire Dragon paved the way for the workers, indicating where to build the wall. The builders subsequently followed his tracks
While we are talking about legends, one of the most popular is about a woman named Meng Jing Nu, the wife of a farmer working on the construction of the Great Wall. When she found out that her husband had died at work, she went to the wall and cried on it until it collapsed, revealing the bones of her loved one, and her wife was able to bury them 
There was a whole tradition of burying those who died during the construction of the wall. Family members 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 dead man's spirit awake until the procession recounted 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 against enemies on the Great Wall. As for the builders, they were recruited from the same defenders in peacetime, peasants, simply the unemployed and criminals. There was a special punishment for all those convicted and there was only one verdict - to build a wall! 
The Chinese invented a wheelbarrow especially for this construction project and used it throughout the construction of the Great Wall. Some particularly dangerous parts of the Great Wall were surrounded by protective ditches, which were either filled with water or left as ditches. The Chinese used advanced weapons for defense such as axes, hammers, spears, crossbows, halberds, and a Chinese invention: gunpowder 
Observation towers were built along the entire Great Wall in uniform areas and could be up to 40 feet high. They were used to monitor the territory, as well as fortresses and garrisons for troops. They contained supplies necessary products and water. In case of danger, a signal was given from the tower, torches, special beacons or simply flags were lit. The western section of the Great Wall, with a long chain of observation towers, served to protect the caravans that moved 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 bullet marks left in the wall from those times. 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 Lao Long Tu. The average height of the wall is 7 meters, and the width in some places reaches 8 meters, but generally ranges from 5 to 7 meters 
The Great Wall of China is a symbol of national pride, centuries-old struggle, and greatness. The country's government spends enormous amounts of money on the preservation of this architectural monument, amounting to billions of US dollars per year, hoping to preserve the wall for future generations
The Great Wall of China stretches across the northern regions of China People's Republic, through the territories of 17 provinces: from Liaoning to Qinghai.
Taking into account all the branches measured in 2008, the length of the Great Wall of China is 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).
Measuring 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 by local residents.
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. - during the period of the Warring States (475-221 BC) for protection from nomads. At the same time, the technology of constructing fortifications was used earlier - in the 8th-5th centuries BC. e.
The population of the kingdoms of Qin, Wei, Yan, Zhao took part in the construction of the northern defensive walls; in total, about a million people were involved in the work. The first plots built were adobe and even earthen - local materials were pressed. For creating common wall The early protective areas between the kingdoms were also united.
In the first centralized state under Emperor Qin Shi Huang (from 221 BC), early sections were fortified, completed, a single wall was lengthened, and the walls between former kingdoms demolished: all efforts are aimed at 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, and deaths were rising due to harsh working conditions and poor infrastructure. Builders of the time continued to use primitive pressed materials and sun-dried bricks. In some rare areas, mostly in the east, stone slabs began to be laid for the first time.
The height of the wall, given such a heterogeneous landscape, also differed in its different sections. On average, the fortifications rose 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. An integral part The walls became towers - built at the same time within an arrow's distance from each other (about 200 meters) and early ones included in the wall in a random order. The grandiose fortress wall also included signal towers, towers with loopholes and 12 gates.
During the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 3rd 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 a desert area where protection of trade caravans from nomads was required.
The next period of construction of the wall described in historical sources is the 12th century, the ruling dynasty is Jin. However, the sites 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 largely 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 shores of the Bohai Bay to the Yumenguan outpost, located on the modern border of Gansu province and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 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, the Badaling tourist site has been visited by more than 300 government officials from different countries peace. The first of the foreigners was the revolutionary Klim Voroshilov.
- Since 1999, The Marathon has become an annual event. Great Wall Marathon along the equipped section of the wall. It involves 2,500 athletes from more than 60 countries.
- Visually recognizing 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
Only a small part of the Great Wall of China is equipped and permanently accessible to tourists. The restored areas 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. Length - about 50 km. Thus, tourism in Badaling has been developing since 1957, and now it is the famous 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, length - 2.2 km. Mutianyu is located beyond the Huairou district, connected to Jiankou in the west and Lianhuachi in the east. The foundation of this site is older than Badaling: the first wall was built in the 6th century under Northern Qi, and 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, and is located in a picturesque environment of forests and streams. Another feature of Mutianyu is the large number of staircases.
Entrance fee is 40 CNY, for seniors over 60 years old and children 1.2-1.4 m tall - 20 CNY. Children under 1.2 m are free.
Opening hours: 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 long Simatai section is located 145 km from the center of Beijing. In the western part of this section, 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.
There is less restoration work on Simatai, but the route is also more difficult. Of particular interest are the towers; Sky Bridge - a section up to 40 cm wide; Heavenly Staircase - rise 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 1.2 - 1.5 m tall. 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
A mostly “wild” and unrestored section of the wall in the Gubeikou area, 146-150 km from Beijing. Built during the Ming Dynasty on the foundation of an ancient wall of the 6th century, it has not been rebuilt since the 16th century, retaining its authentic appearance, although not as impressive as on Simatai and Jinshalin.
The city of Gubeikou has divided the wall in this area into two parts - Wohushan (4.8 km, the main attraction is the "Sister Towers") and Panlongshan (about 5 km, notable is the "24-eyed tower" - with 24 observation holes).
Entrance fee - 25 CNY.
Opening hours: from 8:10 to 18:00.
Jinshalin
Located in the mountainous region of Luanping County, 156 km from the center of Beijing by road. Jinshaling 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 it general state 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 Haoming Lake Wall was built over a period of 188 years from 1404. Now this section reaches 12.4 km, in some places segments of the masonry walls are immersed in water.
Entrance fee - 45 CNY. Children under 1.2 m are free.
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.
Huanya Pass
Huanyaguan, or Huangya Pass, was built along the mountains, stretching 42 km from General Pass in Beijing to Malan Pass in Hebei, originally containing 52 watchtowers and 14 signal towers. However, due to lack of repairs, most of this wall has collapsed. 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 Huanyagan from the center of Beijing is about 120 km.
Entrance fee - 50 CNY. Children under 1.2 m are free.
Open to tourists from 7:30 to 18:30.
Shanhaiguan
An iconic part of the wall: this is where one of its ends is located - the “Dragon’s Head”, which goes into the Yellow Sea. It is located 15 km from Qinhuangdao and 305 km from Beijing.
The plan of Shanhaiguan Fortress is shaped like 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 Passage Under Heaven".
Login Old city in the fortress, the Great Wall of China Museum - free. “First Passage Under Heaven” - 40 CNY in summer, 15 CNY in winter.
Opening hours: from 7:00 to 18:00 from May to 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
The fortifications made of purple marble as part of the Great Wall of China are considered the most durable and beautiful. They are built from marble extracted from local deposits. Two sites are located near the city of Jiang'an, and another is in the Yanyshan Mountains. It is hardly possible to verify the information in practice: the listed walls are closed to mass tourism.
How to get to the Great Wall of China
The most accessible area in terms of transport is Badaling. However, you can independently reach other surviving parts of the Great Wall of China.
How to get to the Great Wall of China from Beijing
From Beijing to Badaling You can get there by transport:
- buses No. 877 (express from Deshengmen stop, 12 CNY);
- public bus No. 919 (takes longer, with stops, you need to check whether it will take you to Badaling;
- by train S2 from Huangtudian Station, then by free bus to Badaling Cable Car Station;
- by special tourist buses: from the 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);
- Take shuttle bus h23, h24, h35, or h36 to Mutianyu.
Transport from Beijing to the wall Simatai(with 1 change):
- Bus No. 980 / 980 Express (respectively 15 / 17 CNY) from Dongzhimen to Miyun Bus Station;
- then take bus Mi 37, Mi 50 or Mi 51 (8 CNY) to the village of Simatay.
To get to Gubeikou From Beijing, take Express Bus No. 980 from Dongzhimen to Miyun Bus Station, then take Mi Bus 25 to your destination.
Jinshalin from Beijing:
- by subway (line 13 or 15) to West Wangjing, then by tourist bus to your destination (departs at 8:00 and returns at 15:00, fare 32 CNY); valid only during the season from April to November 15;
- from Dongzhimen by bus No. 980 to Miyun County, then on your own (with a companion, rental car, taxi) to Jinshaling.
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 the site Huanghuachen:
- from Dongzhimen on a special excursion bus operating during the peak season from April to October (on weekends and holidays). You need to purchase a round-trip ticket - Huanghuacheng Lakeside Great Wall for 80 CNY; Beijing Badaling
Video "Great Wall of China HD"
The Great Wall of China - one of the most grandiose structures of all time - has become a symbol of China, about which literally all civilized people have heard.
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 suggests the real size of the ancient Wall of China (1 li is equal to 576 m), different sources give different figures. According to some assumptions, its length does not exceed 4 thousand kilometers, according to others - it is more than 5 thousand kilometers. The height of the wall is on average 6.6 m (in some areas 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 each other. Along the entire length of the Great Wall of China, guard casemates and watchtowers were built, and fortresses were built along the main mountain passes.
Construction of the first wall began in the 3rd century BC. e. during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (Qin dynasty), during the Warring States period (475-221 BC) to protect the state from the raids of the nomadic Xiongnu people. A 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 transitioning to a semi-nomadic way of life, from merging with the barbarians. The wall was supposed to clearly fix the boundaries of Chinese civilization and contribute to 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 westward to Dunhuang. A line of watchtowers was also built, extending deep into the desert, to protect trade caravans from raids by nomads. Those sections of the Great Wall that have survived to this day were built mainly during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In this era, the main building materials were brick and stone blocks, which made the structure more reliable. During Ming rule, the Wall stretched from east to west from the Shanhaiguan outpost on the shores of the Bohai Bay of the Yellow Sea to the Yumenguan outpost at the junction of modern Gansu and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region provinces.
The Great Wall of China was built with such skill and strength that it still stands today. And this is the only man-made structure on our planet that can be seen even from space. The Chinese Wall stretches along cities, through deserts, valleys, deep gorges - across 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 brutality of the 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 enhanced by the new Han Empire, formed at the end of the 3rd century BC. e. and existed for more than four hundred years. In the Han Empire, the Chinese fully realized themselves as a single people, and today they call themselves Han.
Destruction and restoration of the wall
The Manchu Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), having overcome the Wall with the help of Wu Sangui's treachery, 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 section of it near Beijing - Badaling - was maintained in order - it served as a kind of “gate to the capital”. In 1899, American newspapers started a rumor that the wall would be completely demolished and a highway would be built in its place.
In 1984, on the initiative of Deng Xiaoping, a program for the restoration of the Great Wall of China was launched, financed from funds from Chinese and foreign companies, as well as individuals.
It is reported that a 60-kilometer section of the wall in the Mingying region of Shanxi region in the north-west of the country is undergoing active erosion. The reason is China's intensive farming practices since the 1950s have dried up groundwater, making the region a major source and hotspot for powerful sandstorms. More than 40 km of the wall have already disappeared, and only 10 km are still standing, 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 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 one meter thick and five meters high, then its length would be enough to encircle the Earth. If we do the same with all the materials used by the Qin, Han and Ming dynasties, then such an improvised “wall” could 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 endless. The “stone belt” of the celestial empire still presents surprises to researchers, and many questions still remain unanswered. Just versions, assumptions, hypotheses. Here is one of them. Let us make a reservation that this is only a timid attempt to unravel the mystery.
The idea of the great tyrant
The first thing that immediately baffles us is the practical significance of the Great Wall of China. After all, people just don’t do anything. Indeed, who would come up with the crazy idea of investing titanic labor and astronomical funds into creating an unnecessary building? Historically, there is a version that during the period of unification of the disparate, eternally hostile and warring ancient Chinese principalities under the rule of a single Bogdykhan (emperor), there was a need to strengthen the borders of the new state. Protect the northern borders of the empire from the growing strength of nomads. Only under this condition, the rulers thought, could the empire be effectively reformed.
It was decided to self-isolate from the outside world. From the east, south and west, Ancient China was fenced off from its neighbors by natural barriers: mountains, deserts, seas. The north of the state remained uncovered. The very idea of building the wall belonged to the greatest reformer and tyrant, Emperor Shi Huangdi from the Qin dynasty. The project, even on paper, was grandiose and impressive in scope. The total length of the wall fortification was supposed to be more than six thousand kilometers. It's mind boggling!
No labor shortage
Millions of people built the Colossal Wall. But considering them slaves is also not correct. Qualified craftsmen and architects were needed. After all, the construction was supposed to last for millennia. In those distant times, serving the ruler was perceived by ordinary people as a sacred and honorable duty. Mortals resignedly went to work to pay tribute to the Lord’s anointed. Encouragement and incentive? Gratitude to the heavenly powers and the divine emperor! Tens of thousands of people were ready to die in the hardest work.
According to the project, two main load-bearing walls a little less than a meter thick made of sandstone hard rocks. The resulting gap was filled with soil and clay and carefully compacted to a state close to a monolith. There was a jagged curb at the top, which served as 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 through passage gate.
The name of the tower speaks for itself. At night, the guards lit a large fire on it, which served as a beacon. In case of danger, it was quickly extinguished, which was a signal for nearby garrisons and alarm guards. They immediately rushed to protect the object from enemies. But it’s strange: other nations also had such a danger warning system - fires were lit only to signal an alarm. The Chinese did the opposite. Why? Let's look at the line of the wall. 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 inaccessible spurs of Tibet. In this case, its functionality is clear and justified. One end, indeed, carries this load, but the other leaves an impressive many-kilometer passage uncovered. What is this? Long-term construction due to lack of funds and effort? Strange. And it doesn’t look like the 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 pushed harder. By the way, the gap was often used by numerous occupiers to invade Inner China. What kind of defensive function is there? Apparently it's something else. But where is the answer to this question?
Higher mathematics of the ancient Chinese
Meanwhile, Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi constantly conferred with astrologers and consulted with fortunetellers during construction. 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 compacted soil filler. These nameless builders stood on the eternal guard of the borders of the Celestial Empire. Their bodies were buried in a vertical position. If you believe the statements about the materiality of the human soul and its periodic return to the burial place of the mortal body, you can imagine what a powerful energy force is sometimes concentrated in this place.
Researchers of anomalous phenomena tend to consider the millionth burial to be nothing more than a power battery of colossal size and capacity. If so, what should it supply with energy? Mathematical calculations showed that the ancient Chinese should have known integral and differential calculus. But even in the Middle Ages they did not possess such knowledge. Large-scale work began in the 220s BC. Chinese scientists, of course, worked with irrational numbers and infinitesimal quantities. Might as well know about the rules<золотого сечения>. But for such a grandiose project and its implementation this is not enough. There were no aerial photographs then, no accurate maps of the earth’s surface, and there was no talk about geodesy. Who then gave the ancient architects and builders the idea? Who was the author of the project and consultant on the huge construction site? Modern researchers assume the participation of outsiders in the grandiose work. One can only guess who they were, but it seems they were not earthlings. All the ancient civilizations studied to date did not have the completeness of knowledge that would have made it possible to design the Great Wall of China. Perhaps these were representatives of some dead, not yet discovered modern science crops It is possible that they could be extraterrestrial aliens or earthly heirs (rescued?) of aliens: the Great Wall of China is the only man-made earthly object that is clearly visible from space. She follows a strictly defined line. It was believed that it meanders rather than stretches in a straight line due to the features of the topography or differences in the density of the surface soil. But if you look closely, you will find that even in flat areas it winds. This means that natural interference has nothing to do with it, and there is another practical meaning.
Overlaying the 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 since the line is purely conventional. Although this particular line is a kind of equator, dividing the earth's land equally. The equator itself divides the earth's surface. Try to divide the Eurasian continent in half directly on the map, and you won’t get a straight line. This is probably 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 reconstructed the position of the 30th parallel 2,200 years ago and the approximate configuration of the continent. So - in those distant times the wall ran 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 set their sights on owning the entire landmass? Try to move further from the wall, along the 30th parallel, and you will first stumble upon the Egyptian pyramids, and then: 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 an accident? Does not look like it.
Intergalactic communication complex
It is known that any physical body has a certain electrical potential. Scientists related to physics scientific directions explored known anomalous places on our planet. The earth has a constant electrical charge. The Great Wall of China is located not just anywhere, but in the place where the potential is expiring 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 speed of which is significantly more speed Sveta. These are sufficient conditions for establishing communication with: space. Is this the reason for such a strange design and configuration of the wall? External walls can be used as a two-wire communication line. They allegedly sent a signal that interfered with the natural electromagnetic field of the Earth and changed its structure. Please, information has been sent! A tempting hypothesis. Now the version about the purpose of the Giza pyramids as a receiving complex for intergalactic communications neatly fits 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 scientists, there may be transceiver complexes on the planets closest to us. Most appropriate place for him in the solar system - Mars. Apparently it is also in good condition. It is possible that the earth's radio station is still actively used today from space. It’s 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, cheerful, fervent, but the descent is real torture. All steps have different heights - from 5 to 30 centimeters, so you need to look at your feet extremely carefully. When descending from such a height, the main thing is not to stop, since it will be extremely difficult to continue the descent after stopping. 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 the rest of his life, and he will be able to feel like a 100% local resident. It’s not for nothing that the Chinese love to repeat the words of Mao Zedong: whoever has not climbed the Wall is not Chinese. The Great Wall of China from space is also a popular request from tourists as the grand structure has a unique view from space.
The Great Wall of China is the largest architectural monument ever built by human hands. Its total length (including its branches) is almost nine thousand kilometers (however, some researchers claim 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? Construction of the wall officially began in the third century BC by order of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The original purpose of 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 thereby contributed to the formation of a single state. It was also intended for the Chinese themselves, since it was not supposed to allow them to leave the country, return to a semi-nomadic way of life and merge with the barbarians.
The Great Wall of China is also interesting because it fits extremely organically into the surrounding landscape and one can even argue that it forms an integral composition with it. And all because during construction it smoothly skirted mountains, spurs, hills, and deep gorges.
Nowadays, the Great Wall of China and its length leaves tourists with an ambiguous opinion about itself. 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 get there have to make their way through dense bushes, crumbling steps and areas that are dangerous to such an extent that you have to almost crawl through them (otherwise you might break down).
The height of the walls of this amazing structure is on average about seven and a half meters (if you take into account the rectangular battlements - then all nine), the width at the top is 5.5 m, at the bottom - 6.5 m. Towers of two types are built into the wall, mainly - rectangular shape:
- The towers that existed before construction are smaller in width than the wall;
- The towers, which were built simultaneously with it, were placed every two hundred meters.
There are signal towers in the wall - from them the soldiers watched the enemies and transmitted signals.
Where does the wall begin
The Great Wall of China begins in the northern city of Shanhai-guan (located on the shores of the Bohai Bay of the Yellow Sea) and is the easternmost point of the Long Wall (that is what the Chinese call this structure).
Considering that for the Chinese the Great Wall of China symbolizes the earthen dragon, its head is the Laoluntou Tower (Dragon Head), 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 where it directly extends 23 meters into the bay.
Where does the wall end
From Laolongtou, the Great Wall of China zigzags across half the country into the center of China and ends near the city of Jiayuguan - this is where it is best preserved. Despite the fact that the fortpost here was built back in the 14th century, it was constantly restored and strengthened, thanks to which over time it became the best outpost of the Celestial Empire.
According to one legend, the craftsmen so accurately calculated the amount of material needed for the construction of the walls that when the construction was completed, only one brick remained, which was subsequently placed on the arch as a symbol of respect for the ancient builders external wall gate facing west.
The outpost was erected near Jiayuyoshan Mountain and it consists of a semicircular outer adobe wall in front of the main gate, a moat, a compacted earthen 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
Several years ago, on the border with Mongolia, scientists found a fragment of a wall that was built during the Han Dynasty, about which researchers had no idea before. Five years later, its continuation was discovered in neighboring Mongolia.
Building a wall
One Chinese legend says that the mortar used to fasten stones together was made from 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 until the reign of the Qin dynasty, any available materials were used in the construction of walls. To do this, layers of clay and small stones were laid between the rods, and sometimes unfired bricks dried in the sun were used. It was because of the use of such building materials that the Chinese nicknamed their wall the “earth dragon.”
When representatives of the Qin dynasty came to power, they began to use stone slabs to build the wall, which were laid end-to-end on compacted 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 compacted 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 to protect cities that had become 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:
- Kingdom of Wei - around 352 BC;
- Kingdoms of Qin and Zhao - around 300 BC;
- Yan Kingdom - around 289 BC
Emperor Qin Shi Huang: Construction begins
After Shi Huangdi united the warring kingdoms into one country, the Celestial Empire became an extremely powerful power. It was then that the commander Meng Tian received orders to begin construction (primarily near the ridge of the Yingshan mountain range).
For construction, first of all, they were already used existing walls: They were strengthened and connected to new areas. At the same time, the walls separating the kingdoms were torn down.
They built the wall over the course of 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 (that’s why this wall is unofficially called the longest cemetery on the planet).
The Chinese had an entire funeral ceremony specifically designed for those who lost their lives on construction work. While the relatives of the deceased were carrying the coffin, there was a cage on it with a white rooster in it. According to legend, the bird's cries 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 country began to be ruled by the Han Dynasty (206 BC -220 AD), construction continued to the west, and thus reached Dunhuang. In addition, at this 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 existing walls and added 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 representatives of 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 during 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 defensive structure
Despite the fact that the Chinese managed to build a wall of impressive proportions, it was no good as a defensive structure: enemies easily found poorly fortified areas, in as a last resort– they simply 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 walls, climbed over them and robbed - whatever they wanted and wherever they wanted. When they left, the walls began to be built again.
Despite all the criticism, in our time the Chinese have given their wall a new meaning - it has come to symbolize the indestructibility, endurance and creative power of the nation.
What breaks down the wall
Fragments of the wall, which are significantly removed from the tourist pilgrimage, are in terrible condition. At the same time, it is not only time that destroys them. Facts say that in Gansu Province, almost all underground springs have dried up due to unsustainable farming practices, so Lately this area became the site of severe 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.
Several years ago, in Hebei province, a section of the wall, the length of which was about thirty-six meters, collapsed due to days of rain.
Quite often, the wall is dismantled by local residents when they plan to build a village where it runs, or simply need building stone to build their houses. Other facts indicate that the wall is being destroyed during the construction of a highway, railway and so on. Some “artists” raise their hand to paint the walls with graffiti, which also does not contribute to the integrity of the image.
