The Great Wall

Work on the Great Wall, built as a defensive rampart against invaders, began in the third century B.C. Its basis wan the existing walls built to protect the small states during the Warring States Period. These were linked up at the order of Qinshihuang, China’s first unifier. The wall was continuously strengthened during the dynasties that followed. In the 17th century, during the Ming Dynasty, it wan finally completed. It stretches from the Yalu River in northeast China to Jiayu Pass in Gansu Province in the west. It is 14,000 li (about 7,000km) long, hence the name “Ten-Thousand-Li Great Wall.” It is on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list.