The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against various nomadic groups from the Eurasian Steppe. Several walls were built as early as the 7th century BC, with selective stretches later joined by Qin Shi Huang (220–206 BC), the first emperor of China. Little of the Qin wall remains. Later on, many successive dynasties built and maintained multiple stretches of border walls. The best-known sections of the wall were built by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).

Apart from defense, other purposes of the Great Wall have included border controls, allowing the imposition of duties on goods transported along the Silk Road, regulation or encouragement of trade and the control of immigration and emigration. Furthermore, the defensive characteristics of the Great Wall were enhanced by the construction of watchtowers, troop barracks, garrison stations, signaling capabilities through the means of smoke or fire, and the fact that the path of the Great Wall also served as a transportation corridor.

The frontier walls built by different dynasties have multiple courses. Collectively, they stretch from Liaodong in the east to Lop Lake in the west, from the present-day Sino–Russian border in the north to Tao River (Taohe) in the south; along an arc that roughly delineates the edge of the Mongolian steppe; spanning 21,196.18 km (13,170.70 mi) in total. Today, the defensive system of the Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history.

My visit…

In 2004, I traveled to Hong Kong to spend some time with my sister who was living there at the time. Whilst there, I had my birthday and she gave me a ten-day travel tour. The tour visited Beijing, Guilin, and Xian. I visited many sites including the Great Wall of China, the Terracotta Army, the Reed Flute caves, a river cruise, Tiananmen Square, and the forbidden city, etc. Shortly after my New York Arts Festival in 2007, I was invited to be an artist in residence at Abraham Lubelski’s Studio in Beijing for a month. I took advantage of the opportunity and visited most of the main sites in Beijing again including the Great Wall of China.

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against various nomadic groups from the Eurasian Steppe. The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest sights in the world — the longest wall in the world, an awe-inspiring feat of ancient defensive architecture. Its winding path over a rugged country and steep mountains takes in some great scenery.

Chairman Mao once said, “He who has not been to the Great Wall is not a true man”. I would say that if you get an opportunity, you must take it and visit the Great Wall of China. It is an experience of a lifetime and one you will never forget. Standing on it and seeing how it winds along the mountain ridges is extraordinary.

I also visited Cuandixia. Nestled in a valley 90km west of Beijing and overlooked by towering peaks, the Ming dynasty village of Cuandixia is a gorgeous cluster of historic courtyard homes with old-world charm. The backdrop is lovely: terraced orchards and fields with ancient houses and alleyways rising up the hillside and temples in the surrounding area. Two hours is more than enough time to wander around the village because it’s not big, but staying the night allows you to soak up its historic charms without the distraction of all those day-trippers.

China has many incredible sites. Too many to list here. For more information, please visit Brittanica, and to find out more about me, please read my CV.