More Than The Great Wall

This groundbreaking book provides the first comprehensive analysis of Ming China’s pursuit of national security along its 1,700 miles of northern frontier. Drawing on a wealth of original sources, John Dardess vividly portrays how Ming China’s emperors, officials, and commanders in the field thought, argued, and made decisions in real time as they worked to defend their country. Despite common perceptions of the central role of the so-called Great Wall of China, Dardess convincingly shows that the wall was but a minor piece in a much bigger effort to battle Tatar looting. Dardess immerses readers in the day-to-day world of the Ming as he explores the question of how leaders kept their country safe over the 276 years the dynasty ruled.

It is arguably the greatest feat of civil engineering in history, and indisputably earth s largest single cultural relic: begun during the Qin Dynasty (around 208 BC) and completed nearly 1,800 years later during the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall of China spans more than 4,000 miles. At the dawn of the Beijing Olympics, the eyes of all the world are upon it. Two men who navigated every inch of the Wall have collaborated on a lavishly-illustrated tribute to this amazing structure. Michael Yamashita, an award-winning "National Geographic" photographer, spent a year shooting the Wall, its environs, and the people who live in its shadow, for the magazine. One hundred and sixty of his magnificent photos grace this volume, which features text by William Lindesay, who not only conducts tours of the Wall and spearheads the movement to preserve it, but has actually run its entire length. Broken into three sections, "The Great Wall" provides an overview that debunks myths and dishes up rare facts and figures, a comprehensive history that proceeds dynasty by dynasty through its construction, and an account of Lindesay s personal experiences of the Wall."

A “gripping, colorful” history of China’s Great Wall that explores the conquests and cataclysms of the empire from 1000 BC to the present day (Publishers Weekly). Over two thousand years old, the Great Wall of China is a symbolic and physical dividing line between the civilized Chinese and the “barbarians” at their borders. Historian Julia Lovell looks behind the intimidating fortification and its mythology to uncover a complex history far more fragmented and less illustrious that its crowds of visitors imagine today. Lovell’s story winds through the lives of the millions of individuals who built and attacked it, and recounts how succeeding dynasties built sections of the wall as defenses against the invading Huns, Mongols, and Turks, and how the Ming dynasty, in its quest to create an empire, joined the regional ramparts to make what the Chinese call the “10,000 Li” or the “long wall.” An epic that reveals the true history of a nation, The Great Wall is “a supremely inviting entrée to the country” and essential reading for anyone who wants to understand China’s past, present, and future (Booklist).

"William Lindsey has spent three years travelling 35,000 km across North China, reconstructing vintage photographs - the earliest dating from 1871 - by retaking new images from the same viewpoints"-- OhioLink.

More than two thousand years ago, with his land under constant attack from nomads, the First Emperor of China came up with a simple solution: build a wall to keep out enemies. It was a wall that kept growing and growing. But its construction came at a huge cost: it is believed that more than a million Chinese died building it, earning the wall its nickname--the longest cemetery on earth. Through the story of the wall, Patricia Brennan Demuth is able to tell the story of China itself, the rise and fall of dynasties, the greatness of its culture, and its present-day status as a Communist world power.

Travel through time on an exhilarating expedition to China’s most famous landmark! The Great Wall of China is one of the world’s most intriguing, well-known treasures. Spanning 2,700 years and over 13,000 miles long, embark on the fascinating tale of how the Great Wall was built and how it became one of the greatest man-made projects of all time. This thrilling children’s book about this fascinating structure will leave you with newfound knowledge and appreciation for this amazing world wonder. It includes: • Exquisitely detailed panoramic artworks that show how the Great Wall of China has changed from one era to the next — from the first defensive forts created in 656 BCE to the 13,000 mile-long monument still standing today • Cutaway views that reveal the interior of forts and buildings • Every illustration is surrounded by pull-out details for children to look at, drawing them into the picture and making the book fun and interactive • Lively, engaging narrative text and simple annotations that guide children on a journey through time This informative book educates young readers about how the Great Wall was built and showcases the people that help build it. The wall, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, started as a frontier defense against northern tribesmen and over the eras evolved to become the dynamic landmark that it is today. This educational history book also contains exceptional cutaway views revealing the interiors of important buildings, and pull-out details introducing fascinating facts and key characters. The time-traveling fox who appears in the artwork will have children inquisitively searching for the charming fox throughout the book. This makes for the perfect gift or collector’s item for children age 7 and up to learn about the Great Wall of China and its history. It is also perfect for parents looking for books on Chinese history to read with their children, and those planning on visiting the Great Wall of China who want to learn more about the landmark before or after their trip.

The Great Wall of China is the world's largest military defense structure. It towers and meanders along mountain ranges, constructed more than 2,000 years ago. It was made more brilliant by the numerous wars, power struggles, successive dynasties, political and economic historical events influencing imperial China for over 2,000 years.The everlasting value of the Great Wall comes from the architecture, with its components of the wall, gates, towns, garrisons, and signal towers, along with their artistic elements. It also derives fame from the countless classical works of poetry, folk literature, theater and storytelling written about it by rulers, soldiers, literati and famous poets.This book is among the most systematic and comprehensive works on the Great Wall. It conveys to the reader content in language that is clear and straightforward. It traces the history of the Great Wall's origin, including the initial Period of construction for multiple defensive walls, the era of overall transformation, the Period of the partial expansion and the Period of overall maintenance. The readers will obtain a clear and comprehensive view of the overall picture of the Great Wall and its history from this book.Published by SCPG Publishing Corporation and distributed by World Scientific for all markets except China

A history of the building of the various pieces of the Great Wall of China, with details of how the walls were built through the ages.