Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
vanished or are in a state of disrepair. The measured length
of the Great Wall also varies, depending on which sections
are measured. Estimates range from around 1,500 to 4,000
miles (2,415-6,440 km).
For most of Chinese history , the Great Wall was actu-
ally many walls—sections constructed as the need arose in
time and space. Their positioning depended on the state of
China' s relations with the barbarian peoples of the time.
China spent millions in terms of finances and manpower in
warding off such nomadic hordes as the Khitan, Xiongnu
(Hsuing-nu), Mongols, and Manchus, not always with suc-
cess. The Mongols and Manchus, respectively , defeated
Chinese forces and took control as the Y uan Dynasty
(1279-1368) and the Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty (1644-1912).
China' s influence in East Asia peaked under the Mongols,
who sent expeditions against Japan, Burma, Vietnam, and
Java using both Chinese and Korean troops and fleets.
ma might imply “mother” or “horse” depending on
what tone you give it. However, these two words are
written with their own unique characters.
Writing Chinese characters in the Roman al-
phabet requires “transliteration,” a way of trans-
forming one to the other. One system, employed
until well after the establishment of communism
in China (1949), is the Wade-Giles system. More
recently , the Communists have introduced a more
simplified character system. How Chinese words
are transliterated into English is called Pinyin.
Shan-tung under Wade-Giles becomes Shandong
in Pinyin. Ch'ing Dynasty becomes Qing Dynasty ,
and Mao T se-tung becomes Mao Zedong . Pinyin
more closely approximates the sound of the word in
the Mandarin dialect of Chinese. While most topics
and atlases now use Pinyin, English publications
from Taiwan continue to use Wade-Giles.
The Terra-CottaArmy
Perhaps the most obvious evidence of China' s relation-
ships with outsiders is the Great Wall (Figure 10-7). Dates
for initial construction and subsequent connections of the
wall(s) are more suggestive than accurate. It is said to have
been built during the Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty (221-206 BC )
when the Y ellow Emperor consolidated existing sections
with watchtowers along the northern frontier. More or less
permeable throughout history , it was consolidated again
under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD ). It is the Ming
wall, located north of China' s capital, Beijing (Peking), that
most tourists visit today . The western sections have either
In 1974 the discovery of an entire life-size army
that had been buried for more than 2,000 years
astonished the world. Thousands of terra-cotta sol-
diers, each with unique facial features, along with
war-horses and chariots, are regarded by some as
the “eighth wonder of the world.” The army is
believed to be guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin
Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC ). This
site, near the city of Xian (Hsi-an), is one of China' is
top tourist attractions.
Figure 10-7
The Great W all of China was begun in the
Qin (Ch'in) dynasty (221-206 BC ). “China”
comes from Ch'in. The wall actually linked several
older walls, and in its full length reached nearly
4,000 miles (6,000 km). It averages 25 feet (7.8 m)
in height and 19 feet (5.8 m) in width. Only
parts of the wall survive today . This section of
the wall near Beijing was refurbished under the
Ming dynasty in the fourteenth century . Photograph
courtesy of B. A. Weightman.
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