The history of the Great Wall is said to have started from the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC). Over the following 2,000 years, more than 20 states and dynasties played a part in its construction. The accumulative length of the wall exceeds 13,170.70 miles (21,196.18 km).
Zhou Dynasty (1046 - 256 BC)
In the turbulent Zhou Dynasty that consisted of Western Zhou Dynasty (1046BC-771BC), Spring and Autumn Period, and Warring States Period (475BC-221BC), several contemporary powerful states were established. In order to defend themselves, they all built walls and stationed troops on their borders. The earliest of these is the Chu State Great Wall, also known as "Square Wall". Later, other states added to the construction, including Qi State, Wei State, Yan State, Zhao State, and Qin State. The sections built by different states were unconnected until the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
Qin Dynasty (221 - 207 BC)
In 221BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified China for the first time after defeating the other states. As the central plain was constantly assaulted by the northern Huns, Emperor Qin Shi Huang sent the great general Meng Tian to fight back. At the same time, he ordered that the sections of the Great Wall created by different states be linked together and extended. Thereafter, the Great Wall, which runs eastward from Lintao (today's Minxian County in Gansu Province) to Yalu River in Liaoning Province, flew over mountain ridges, rivers, deserts, and plains in north China like a giant dragon.
Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD)
After Emperor Qin Shi Huang's death, the Qin Dynasty soon came to an end due to mass uprisings. Han Dynasty was then established by Emperor Gaozu, who had the previous wall renovated and reinforced. Later, Emperor Wu of Han constructed the Great Wall in a large scale. He had Yanmenguan Pass restored in 130BC, and the Qin Dynasty Wall renovated in 127BC. In order to protect the Hexi Corridor, he ordered the defensive line between Yongdeng County and Jiuquan in Gansu Province be built in 121BC. The line was extended from Jiuquan to Yumenguan Pass from 111BC to 110BC, and it was further lengthened to Lop Nor in Xinjiang from 104BC to 101BC. The Han Dynasty Wall was not only a defense against northern Huns, but it also protected the ancient Silk Road linking China and the western regions.
Southern and Northern Dynasties (420 - 589)
After the decline of the unified Han Dynasty, China endured a period of chaos when different states vied with one another as they sought to expand their territories. In turn, they each added to the Great Wall to defend themselves. The Northern Wei, Northern Qi, Eastern Wei, and Northern Zhou Dynasties all built their own sections, but on a smaller scale than the Han Dynasty.
Sui Dynasty (581 - 618)
The establishment of Sui Dynasty put an end to the tumultuous period. The successive emperors attached great importance to border defense on account of the constant invasion by northern nomadic tribes. They ordered the wall and fortresses be built in the north and west. It took two million laborers 28 years to finish the large project. Thereafter, the defensive system stretched from Zihe River (an ancient river in today's south Inner Mongolia and northwest Shanxi) in the east, via Lingwu of Ningxia, and ended at Yugu (today's Guide County of Qinghai Province) in the west.
Tang Dynasty (618 - 907)
The subsequent Tang Dynasty brought an era of comparative peace between the northern tribes and central China for most of the time, so few sections were built during this period.
Song Dynasty (960 - 1279)
The history of Great Wall continued during the Song Dynasty to defend against the invaders from the north and west, like Western Xia, Liao, and Jin. Nevertheless, the Wall failed to stop the intrusion of northern Jin Dynasty, leading to demise of Song Dynasty in 1127. Fortunately, Zhao Gou, known as Emperor Gaozu of Song, escaped to southern China and reestablished the Song in Li
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