By Busayo Onijala, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

 

When the Great Wall of China was built, it was to serve as a reinforcement, protecting the Chinese empire from invasions and raids by nomadic groups from the north, particularly the Xiongnu and Mongols.

 

It served as a strategic military tool with watchtowers, allowing soldiers to monitor approaching threats. This enabled military forces to prepare defence or engage the enemy in a timely manner.

 

Asides being a military tool, it served various economic and political functions such as preventing unauthorised migration and embodying imperial authority.

 

However, more than 2,000 years later, it has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1987) and a cultural treasure of the Chinese people, welcoming millions of tourists yearly.

 

 

 

This landmark is the longest man-made structure, spanning over 20,000km and with over seven sections to visit from, including Mutianyu, Juyongguan, Badaling and Jiankou.

 

Standing on the foot of the wall from the Juyongguan section, it seems much more complex to understand the construction.

 

 

 

 

The name Juyong means ‘Army Garrison Pass’, a reflection of its role as Beijing’s ancient northwestern shield.

 

Unlike most modern structures built by machines and the newest technologies, the Great Wall was built manually by millions of hands including those of peasant labourers, soldiers and prisoners who faced extreme conditions.

 

Each brick on the wall is a testament to the workers’ determination to build something that would protect their homeland and future generations.

 

Climbing the steep steps of the wall and navigating levels where it seems to rise sharply against the mountains reminds one of the difficulties that those who built it must have endured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Argentinian journalist, Mr Hernan Russo, said that climbing the Great Wall and reaching the 12th level was a wonderful experience.

 

“This place is thousands of years old, and I thought about the number of people who lost their lives climbing the stones through thousands of kilometers to build it.

 

“In fact, there is a fact that hit me. Some say the great wall is one of the largest cemeteries in the world because millions of people died building it.

 

“Here I am walking on it, over 2,000 years later, with my camera.”

 

He said he was grateful for the experience to climb the wall because it made him to think about how immense and ephemeral life could be.

 

According to Russo, this is why every step on the wall should be enjoyed.

 

A Nigerian journalist on a media exchange programme in Beijing said that the panoramic landscape between levels of the Great Wall was marvellous.

 

“Meanwhile, it is easy to imagine the exhaustion and strain the builders must have gone through as they laboured on the wall day after day.

 

“Personally, every step I took on the wall was like a victory, a sense of achievement, as I overcame physical obstacles in front of me,” she said.

 

She said that the obstacles made her to reflect on her own personal struggles, particularly when tasks seemed insurmountable.

 

“Just like those who built the wall, we often face difficulties that demand much endurance and strength to push forward.”

 

The Chairman Mao Zedong, Founder of modern China, made a famous statement, “不去长城 非好汉”. This translates to either: “you are not a hero until you climb the Great Wall” or “he who has not been to the Great Wall is not a true man”.

 

Words of Chairman Mao Zedong, founder of modern China, “不去长城 非好汉” (you are not a hero until you climb the Great Wall)

A Kenyan journalist, Brian Ngugi, believes that anyone who climbs the wall and gets to the top is resilient.

 

Describing the wall as majestic, Ngugi urged prospective visitors willing to climb the wall to make sure they are fit, wear comfortable shoes and be ready for an exciting experience.

 

“You might not really be sure whether you will be able to get to the top because the steps are too many and very steep, but with a lot of patience, you can reach the top.

 

“Indeed, I agree, as they say: ‘You are not a great man if you haven’t been to the Great Wall’,” he said.

 

A Slovene journalist, Mojca Pisek, said the Great Wall represents a chapter of history that shaped China.

 

She said history could be a good teacher if one could be a good student, noting that the wall was a great piece of China’s past that everyone could appreciate.

 

“To anyone coming here, keep going, listen to your body and take plenty of stops, because once you make a stop and you have a breath or two, that energises you, and then you can keep going.

 

“Unless you have a health condition, you can always keep going and get to the top,” she said.

 

Analysts observe that in spite of the passage of time, erosion, and pressures from tourism, the Great Wall still stands strong in different sections, offering lessons to generations about the value of endurance, persistence, strength of mind, and unity of purpose.

 

They believe that, like the millions of workers who built the Great Wall, everyone has the power to face adversity, push forward and make their own marks on the sands of time. (NANFeatures)

 

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria

Published By

Folashade Adeniran

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