Chinese emperors have fought for control of one of the world's most enduring empires,

from the legendary beginnings of the Chinese dynasties to the final demise of the last

imperial line. As successive imperial lineages rose and fell, innovation and cultural

advancement waves followed. Thus, it was no exception for the rulers of the Han dynasty,

who sought to expand westward, so they took control of the far east, which later became

known as the Silk Road.

The Han dynasty occupied vital to control of Shi, which runs along the Silk Road between

the northern steppes and the foothills of the Himalayas, indicating a true frontier between

the people and the way of life they led. Nomads relying solely on their livestock for

survival raided the northern provinces of China after braving the long winters on the

steppes. They slaughtered the Chinese provincials, taking food, metals, and whatever else

their way of life prevented them from producing. Chinese considered their empire to be

the cradle of civilization and the cultural center of the planet, so confronting the

barbarians on the frontier was out of place. The war was too expensive, so the Han

emperor decided to build a wall that would serve as protection to defend against

opportunistic plunder that later also promoted international trade and migration.

The materials depend a lot on the time, the dynasty, and the slope of the region. Therefore,

the empire used various building materials from the different walls throughout the years.

The kingdom used other materials to build the walls. For example, the ruins of the Great

Wall of Hang, made with crushed gravel and reeds, were covered with clay to be protected

from erosion and make it more challenging to climb and have lasted for millennia.

Another wall was built with wood and had six layers of branches and minimal use of

gravel between them. Another division, which has nothing in common with the stone and
brick wall north of Beijing, is made of rammed earth and is over 400 years old and still

in good shape.

As a means of security and prevention, the rulers of the dynasties had lighthouse towers

built along the wall, which were signal stations and an observation point for the guards

on that front to watch for the enemy approaching from the north. When the enemy was

sighted, the beacon would light up, and as soon as the guards spotted the nomadic

warriors, the beacon would send out smoke signals during the day or beacon fires at night,

raising the alarm to the garrisons inland.

On the other hand, The Chinese empire deciphered the length of the Chinese wall through

overlapping areas because the distance measurement was challenging to give an exact

figure; therefore, the Great Wall of China is approximately 21,196 kilometers. One of its

sections is the most preserved part of the wall, built during the Ming dynasty, which has

a length of about 8,850 kilometers.

Finally, according to historical records, more than 20 vassal states of feudal dynasties

built the Great Wall 2,600 years ago. Chinese empire constructed separate walls to defend

the vassal states and the northern nomads. With different defensive objectives, these walls

were roughly divided into two purposes during this period. The Great Wall of China is

considered the most prolonged construction globally, with a length of 13,170 miles. It is

made of brick, stone, wood, and other materials. It is attributed as one of the most

significant technological innovations of the Ming dynasty that still needs to be further

explored and researched, as it has a lot of history beneath its foundations.

National Geographic [ChannelM]. (2015). National Geographic - The Great Wall of China -

Documentary [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjlydnRqcmw