The Magnificent Great Wall
Meghana Vasantharao, Group 2: Non-Fiction, Shanghai Singapore International School
early 5500 miles long, the Great Wall of China is one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World
and also China’s national symbol. It is a man-made structure; built thousands of years ago; built to
defend invaders and enemies.
China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, ordered prisoners, villagers and migrants to build the
Great Wall. Over 1 million people were forced to build the wall. Most people died in the construction
due to exhaustion. People who sacrificed their lives building The Great Wall were simply buried under the wall.
After 10 years of hard work, the wall was finally completed. Sadly, it did not help to defend the country much;
invaders were able to climb the brick walls, which were made of granite.
When that occurred, people started to dislike the wall as it did not help to protect their country despite
the countless lives sacrificed and resources invested. This is the reason why The Great Wall was not found in
most ancient paintings, with very little attention paid to the wall.
‘How did it become popular all of a sudden?’ you may ask. That is probably because of the widespread
rumors that The Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure seen from space. To call for more attention,
a cycling course of Summer Olympics and annual marathon are held on a section of the Great Wall.
Recently, tourists from different parts of the world flock to Beijing for a glimpse of The Great Wall.
With the influx of visitors, more trash and vandalism are found. The Government and UNESCO are doing the
best they can to preserve and protect this man-made structure that costs countless lives.
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