History of Great Wall

Discover the earliest Great Wall of China
Construction of the Great Wall first began in the seventh sentry BC. During the Warring States Period (475-221BC), When the ruling power of the Zhou kingdom declined,principalities sprang up and carved up the country into many states, rivalling each other. The main kingdoms were Qin, Qi, Chu, yan, Han, Zhao and Wei. To defend against the attack of neighboring states, the principalities built great and high walls in their own domains. Discover more...

Facts of the Qin Great Wall
In 221 BC, Qin Shihuang defeated the other six kingdoms and established the first centralized feudal nation in Chinese history. He ordered to have the Great wall linked up and extended to ward of raids by the Huns. The project took more than ten years till the end of the Qin Dynasty in 206 BC. Historical records that about one million people, one-fifth of China's population at that time, were involved in the project. Discover more...

Great Wall of Han Dynasty and Tang Dynasty
The Great Wall of China was continuously built during the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). It was extended towards the west to Lop Nur Lake in today's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. And an outer Great wall was added to the north of the Qin Great Wall. With its system of fortifications and beacon towers, the Han Great Wall reached a total length of about 10,000 kilometers. Discover more..

Discover the Ming Great Wall
The last large-scale construction of the Great Wall of China was carried out in the Ming Dynasty. In 1368, Zhuyuanzhang established the Ming dynasty with its capital in Nanjing. To secure the northern territories from the remnant Mongol forces, he sent his General Xu Da to build up the great wall at the Juyong pass and other strategic points in the first year of his reign. Discover more...

Great Wall Qing Dynasty
In the wake of the development in politics and in military situation during early-Qing Dynasty, especially during the reign of Emperor Kang Xi, Qianlong , a policy of control through conciliation was adopted by emperors, whereby Mongolian and Xinjiang princes and nobles were brought under control by a show of conciliation. Then, emperors didn't continue the building of the Great Wall. That's also the reason why the mountain Resort and the Eight Outer Temples were built in Chengde, Hebei Province. Discover more...