It cannot be seen from space
The myth that the Great Wall is visible from space has been perpetuated at least since 1938, long before humans landed on the moon. Although the structure is indeed formidable, the materials with which it was built tend to blend into the landscape, which makes it difficult to distinguish with the naked eye from space.
The Great Wall you see today is not as old as you think
During the 2,500 years from 7th century BC to 19th century AD, more than 20 dynasties and states had undertaken the construction of the walls, section by section, bit by bit. Today is best-known and best-preserved walls were results from the Ming Dynasty’s massive construction begun around 1381. Many of its sections have been renovated and developed into tourist resorts, such as Badaling and Mutianyu in Beijing, Shanhaiguan in Hebei, and Jiayuguan in Gansu. These sections that are popular with tourists are generally 400 to 600 years old.
Glutinous rice flour was used as mortar
Although little of the wall remains that was built by first Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang, these sections from 220-206 BC were constructed with a mortar made of glutinous rice flour. The bricks themselves were made with rammed earth, stone, and wood.
Is it just a ‘Wall’?
It is named a ‘Wall’, but actually it is not only a simple ‘Wall’. Historical facts show that it was a comprehensive fortification, consisting of overlapping walls and trenches for blocking enemies, watchtowers and beacon towers for signals and communication, fortresses for head-on battles, and barracks to accommodate soldiers. During the Ming Dynasty, a well-designed array of fortifications such as the Three Inner Passes of Daoma, Zijing, and Juyong, and the Three Outer Passes of Pianguan, Ningwu, and Yanmen, formed a solid defense for the capital city of Beijing.
The Wall crosses nine provinces and municipalities
From east to west, the Great Wall stretches across Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, and Gansu, though not continually. Although many travelers stick to the well-tread sections in Beijing, many other provinces offer wilder and more unique views.
1/3 of the Wall has disappeared
The Great Wall is changing all the time to be specific, it is disappearing year by year. Be clear that well-maintained sections like Badaling are just a few rare exceptions. The fact is that many wall sites had fallen into disrepair and are in danger of being lost due to physical weathering and human activities. Human vandalism is the major threat.
According to statistics from UNESCO, nearly one third of the walls have already disappeared. What survive today are mainly the stone and brick constructions from the Ming Dynasty. Early walls made of rammed earth, particularly those in Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Ningxia in northwest China, are deteriorating quickly, cracking, leaning or collapsing. It is estimated that without effective conservation, these sections will disappear altogether within 30 years.
In Chinese, it is called Chang Cheng
The name Chang Cheng, which means “long wall,” appears to have originated in Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian, a history book written during the Han-dynasty era that serves as a seminal authority on early Chinese society. The wall has alternatively been called Wan-Li Chang Cheng, which means “10,000-Mile Long Wall.”