We know that modern European civilization takes its roots in ancient Greece and Rome, and those, in turn, have learned a lot from the culture of Ancient Egypt. But what about Asia? Which state was first born at the dawn of civilization? Mesopotamia, India and China are the three main cultures that have been continuously developing since the Neolithic revolution. It was they who had the most direct impact on other countries. In this article we will talk about Ancient China. This mighty civilization consisted of several eras. She had a huge impact on the culture of Japan, Korea and the entire Far Eastern region. What is the most famous building in ancient China? You will find out if you read this article to the end.
Chinese UNESCO sites
If we talk about architecture, then in the country there are many monuments of ancient and medieval designs. Many of them occupy a worthy place in the prestigious Catalog of the world cultural heritage of mankind. It should be said that not all countries can boast of so many objects included in the UNESCO list. There are solitary architectural structures of Ancient China, such as the Temple of Heaven or the Beijing Iheui Park, complexes such as the Gugong Palace, ancient houses on the southern outskirts of Anhui Province, the largest square in the world - Tiananmen. But the list also included entire cities, like Lijiang (in Yunnan). Temples, parks, palaces, ordinary houses and even graves are very original. They are united by a single aesthetic aspiration, a certain idea, originating in the worldview and religion of this great nation. They are elegant and majestic at the same time, dynamic and solemn. But the most famous building of Ancient China is, of course, the Great Wall of China.
Seventh Wonder of the World
What is this largest monument of ancient architecture? The stretched chain of fortifications is so large that the mere mention of its length is awesome. More than eight thousand eight hundred and fifty kilometers, consisting of towers and walls, stretched across Northern China. The defensive redoubts are pretty impressive. The most famous building of Ancient China - the “Great Wall of ten thousand li” - is five to six and a half meters wide and 6–10 m high. At a certain distance, sentinel towers, smoke alarm towers and casemates are installed on it. and whole fortresses were built at the aisles. In the ancient world of Greece, the Great Wall of China already existed. But, for obvious reasons (Alexander the Great reached only India), the Europeans did not know about it. Therefore, this epic structure could not be included in the number of seven wonders of the Light of the ancient world. But now they have made up for this omission.
Great wall of China: map
The defense chain begins at Liaodong Bay. Further west, it runs pretty close to Beijing. Since the defense of the capital was of paramount importance, this section of the wall, called Badalin, was maintained in good working condition until the 19th century. The proximity to Beijing makes it the most visited tourist destination - forty million people come here every year. Most of them are residents of the Middle Kingdom. After all, Mao Zedong said: "If you have not visited the Great Wall, you are not a Chinese." Further west a grand chain of fortifications goes into the Gobi desert. By the way, its length is more than eight thousand kilometers, if you count the numerous branches. And directly, from edge to edge, the Great Wall of China (the map allows you to make calculations) stretched "only" for 2,196 km. Also an impressive figure, agree. Therefore, in 1987, UNESCO included this object in its list.
Great Wall of China
The purpose of the construction was commonplace - to protect themselves from the barbarians from the north. The ancient era did not know any other means of protection, except for ramparts, ditches and walls with towers. The erection of fortifications began in 220 BC, during the era of the “Struggling Kingdoms”. Over one million people participated in the construction at the same time. This figure is unbelievable. It is one fifth of the population of China at that time. The wall was supposed to protect the "Middle Empire" from the nomadic Hunnu. During the time of the ambitious and cruel ruler Qin Shi Huangdi, the construction of the Great Wall of China took on a gigantic scale. If earlier it was built from primitive materials, now they began to use stone. Rice flour served as a bonding solution . According to various sources, about two million people died during the construction. This is a kind of Chinese "Wailing Wall."
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Effective protection?
So much public money was invested in the construction of the Wall, so many lives were donated that, it seemed, it was to become a reliable outpost for centuries. However, this did not happen. Subsequent dynasties erected new sections (construction was especially active under Han - ten thousand kilometers), but even this did not produce tangible results. Guards at the sight of a terrifying army, torn from the rear, simply let the enemy troops into the depths of the country. Those sections of the wall that have come down to us are the architecture of medieval China. They were built in an era when the empire suffered from the invasion of the Mongols.
Myths and Reality
Somehow, the most famous building in ancient China is surrounded by legends and unverified rumors. So, for example, there is an opinion that this wall can be seen from a satellite or a spaceship - it is so big. In fact, a five meter wide building makes this impossible. Although NASA’s photographs show it, as well as other buildings. Another myth about the Great Wall of China - as if workers who died from hunger, overwork and epidemics were buried right in the foundation so that their bones would hold the structure stronger. Studies show that nothing but rice flour was found between the stones.