Great Wall

Blog 1499-

Ugh today has been a long day, as I have been planning the design and having meetings about the construction of a very large project. We call it the Great Wall of China. As an emperor of the Ming Dynasty, we are repairing and increasing the size of this monument.  It was originally built in 220 B.C during the Qin Dynasty.  The wall was started under the emperor of Shi Huangdi.  He created it for defensive purposes and put a general called Meng Tian under control.  He extended it about 3,000 miles and it was worked on by prisoners, northern frontier laborers, and guarded by soldiers.  Huangdi heavily taxed his people to pay for his wall and this caused much anger throughout the people.  This is a problem I hope to avoid, but am finding it very difficult, as it is a large job and people always seem to work harder when they are physically pushed.  Anyways, in the Han Dynasty Emperor Wudi restored the Qin wall and extended it all the way to the Gobi Desert.  The wall was later worked on by many others such as Guang Wu Di and Ming Yuan.  Improvements and repairs were done in the Sui dynasty, and the Tang had a better military and defensive system so the Great Wall was of less use.  Currently I am redesigning the watchtowers and cannon system.  It keeps unwanted attention out and helps keep the Chinese in.

                                                                                                                                                                    

 Zhū Yòutáng

Today the Wall is over 4,000 miles long and one of the largest structures in the world.

"Great Wall of China." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 19 Oct. 2010. <http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/>