We present you 5 interesting facts about the Great Wall of China.
Today’s Great Wall of China is a symbol of the Chinese people’s inventiveness and tenacity. It continues to be one of the most well-liked travel locations worldwide.
The Great Wall is one of the seven wonders of the world and a magnificent feat of engineering.
5 interesting facts about the Great Wall of China:
Officially the longest wall in the world, the Great Wall is 21,196 kilometres (13,171 miles) long.
In reality, it would take you at least a year and a half to walk the entire length of it.
It is also incredibly tall, standing between 15 and 30 feet (4.5 and 9.1 metres) tall.
1- Workers Weren’t Buried in the Great Wall
There is a well-known urban legend that claims that the Great Wall of China’s construction workers were interred inside the wall itself.
It is commonly believed that this claim is a myth because there isn’t much evidence to back it up. In popular culture, including films and television shows, the legend has been repeated.
According to historians, building the Great Wall was a significant effort that needed a significant amount of labour and materials.
However, there is no proof that workers were intentionally buried alive in order to “entomb” them inside the wall.
While there is no historical evidence of people being buried alive, working conditions on the wall were undoubtedly hazardous, with workers exposed to extreme heat, cold, and other dangers.
The wall’s construction workers who passed away were probably properly buried, as was the custom at the time.
2- The Great Wall Is Not a Continuous Wall
The Great Wall of China is not a continuous wall, unlike what many people think.
The Great Wall actually consists of a number of walls that are split apart by fortifications and geographical impediments like mountains.
Although the wall is made up of various lengths of segments, the longest one is over 5,000 miles (8,046 kilometres) long.
The portions were constructed throughout history by several dynasties at various dates.
During the Warring States era in the seventh century BC, the first sections of the Great Wall were constructed.
An improved defensive system was developed over time as new walls and fortifications were added and linked together.
There are several different parts of the Great Wall that are accessible to tourists today, each with a distinct history and set of characteristics.
While other portions of the wall are slowly disintegrating, some have been restored and are well-preserved.
3- The Great Wall Is Visible from Space
Despite being somewhat debatable, this is the case.
The wall can be seen in images taken from space, but not from the moon and presumably not with the unaided eye.
If the weather is perfect, radar imaging from space can be used to observe the structure, according to NASA.
But how is it possible that this enormous building can be seen from space?
The Great Wall of China spans countless miles across the northern region of China and was constructed on high ground, which provides the answer.
The wall stands out when seen from space because of the contrast between its pale colour and the dark surroundings, especially on clear days and at specific angles.
4- The Great Wall Was Built by Soldiers, Farmers, and Convicts
The construction of the Great Wall needed a tremendous amount of labour from human hands, under the direction of General Meng Tian.
To complete its construction, Tian virtually assembled his own army from local farmers, prisoners, and regular troops.
Due to their combined engineering and combat prowess, they were able to construct the wall’s enormous fortifications.
Farmers frequently cleared the area, dug the ditches, and constructed the wall’s base.
Criminals were sent to work on the wall as a kind of punishment, and they were frequently required to put in a lot of overtime under difficult circumstances.
The Great Wall’s construction crew were able to unite despite the gruelling labour and bad working circumstances to produce one of the world’s greatest architectural marvels.
5- The Great Wall Is Made of Rice
Brick, tamped earth, stone, and other materials were used to construct the Great Wall.
The thing that kept it all together, however, is what I find most intriguing.
The mortar they used to lay the bricks and stones was typically composed of limestone and water, but they also included a special component: sticky rice!
Sticky rice has been used as a building material since the Ming Dynasty.
To make a robust and long-lasting substance that could resist the test of time, the sticky rice was combined with slaked lime, sand, and water. But why do we even need to use rice?
Rice’s amylopectin, when combined with other substances, produces a flexible, sticky mortar that is more resistant to earthquakes and other natural disasters.
In fact, despite being constructed hundreds of years ago, certain portions of the Great Wall that were constructed with rice mortar are still in place.
Another significant innovation in the area was the use of rice in buildings.
Instead of importing expensive materials from far away, it enabled workers to use a material that was readily available locally and was sustainable.
The Great Wall of China is one of the most magnificent architectural wonders in the world, so the next time you enjoy a bowl of sticky rice, consider how important sticky rice was to its construction.
