History of the Great Wall Jin Dynasty

After the short-lived Sui Dynasty came the glorious Tang Dynasty (618-907). The whole period of the Tang Dynasty was a time of economic and cultural prosperity. During this period there was little or no threat from beyond the national borders, so no additional fortifications were deemed necessary. With the collapse of the Tang Dynasty and the subsequent fragmentation of the country the succeeding dynasties continued to focus on cultural development. The Song Dynasty (960-1279), although obliged to adopt a defensive stance against the dynasties of Liao (907-1125), Western Xia (1032-1227), and Jin (1115-1234), did not build fortification walls.

According to historical records, in 908 a section of the Great Wall on the Nanguanling Town of Liaoning Province at the confluence of the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea (Huanghai Sea) was built during the Liao Dynasty (907-1125). In 1026, the nomadic Nuzhen who occupied territory to the northeast of China built several fortresses and beacon towers to prevent invasion. The fortresses and beacon towers formed part of the defense system of the Great Wall. At this time the Wall stretched from White City (Bai Cheng) Village of Acheng City of Heilongjiang Province in the north to Nongan County of Jilin Province in the south.

The Great Wall of the Jin Dynasty

In 1115, the Nuzhen nomadic established the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234). In order to prevent incursion from their neighbors, the Mongols, a large construction program was launched. The records show that two important sections of the Great wall were completed.

The Wall as constructed by the Jin differed from the previous sections. Known as the Border Fortress or the Boundary Ditch of the Jin, it was formed by digging ditches within which lengths of wall were built. In some places subsidiary walls and ditches were added for extra strength. The construction of the Great Wall by the Jin Dynasty was started in about 1123 and completed by about 1198. The two sections attributable to the Jin Dynasty are known as the Mingchang Old Wall and the Mingchang New Wall.

The Mingchang Old Wall: Also called the Border Fortress of the Jin, this section is located to the north of the Mingchang New Wall. It is near today's Heilongjiang River northwest of the Xing'an Mountains in Heilongjiang Province. It stretched about 500 kilometers (311 miles).

The Mingchang New Wall: Also called the Inner Wall of Jin, it was also built to prevent attack from the Mongols, the whole wall stretched about 1,500 kilometers (932 miles), starting from Hetao area of Inner Mongolia at the west, passing provinces and autonomous regions such as Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning and Heilongjiang and ending at the Songhua River of Heilongjiang Province.
great wall of china


Today, the site of the Great Wall of the Jin Dynasty can be found in Xilinhaute City of Xilin Gol League of Inner Mongolia.

With the advent of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), there was no further need to extend the border defenses, as their territory spanned parts of both Europe and Asia. The next era of construction was to follow when the rule of the Ming was established.
great wall of china

great wall of china

History of the Great Wall -Ming Dynasty Great Wall

The Great Wall as it exists today was built mainly in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). It was an ambitious project and took over 100 years to complete. The walls of this period were well designed and known for their unique configuration and effective defense system. Extending from the Yalu River in Liaoning Province to the eastern bank of the Taolai River in Gansu Province, Ming's Great Wall winds its way from east to west through present Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia and Gansu Provinces or areas.
great wall of china


Research has shown that Ming's emperors were busy with the construction of this wall throughout their reign. After seizing political power from rulers of the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368), the emperors had to battle desperate Yuan forces in the north and stop the threat of invasion from other northern ethnic tribes such as Nuzhen, Dada and Wala. To resist these outside forces and protect their citizens, every emperor of the Ming Dynasty spared no effort in building, fortifying, extending and eventually completing the Great Wall.

The design of the Ming Wall was well thought out. For example, Xuanfuzhen Great Wall in Beijing, due to its strategic position, was built in the unique style of double lines, inner and outer, to strengthen its defensive ability. A total of six passes were built. The inner passes were Juyongguan Pass, Zijingguan Pass and Daomaguan Pass, and the outer passes were Pianguan Pass, Ningwuguan Pass and Yanmenguan Pass. These passes controlled entries and exits into the areas and are secured by gates. Watch towers, signal towers, fortresses, and observation posts serve as additional reinforcements. The Ming Wall was further divided into nine zones, each controlled by a garrison, called 'zhen' in Chinese. Two more garrisons were added later, making a total of eleven garrisons. This ensured the security of the capital.

Following the topographies of the land through which it travels, this ancient wall looks like a long winding dragon. To get a rough idea of the size: if all its stones, bricks, and earth are used to build a city wall of 1.1 yards high and 5.5 yards wide, the total length of this wall will circle the earth more than once. Today, remnants of this huge wall stand as a witness to the sacrifices of the ancient builders and the wisdom of its designers. It is perhaps one of the greatest architectural achievements of men.
great wall of china

great wall of china