Weekly Photo Challenge – Depth

This week’s challenge is ‘Depth‘.

The Great Wall Of China:
One bright beautiful blue-sky morning In October 2009 MB walked on the Great Wall Of China. It’s an incredibly awe-inspiring structure and sight, as it winds it’s way into the mountainous distance, deep into the northern Chinese countryside. 8,850km (or 5,500 miles) deep to be exact. MB walked on a section which is about one hour drive outside Beijing. The wall is extremely steep in many locations as it snakes the contours of the mountain slopes, and a level of aerobic fitness is required to walk a reasonable length of it. Some, or most, of the English language signage along the wall is amusing! A few facts:

Contrary to common belief, the Great Wall of China cannot be seen from space without aid.

As early as the Qin Dynasty (221-207BC) when building the Great Wall, glutinous rice flour was used in making the binding material to bind the bricks.

The labor force to build the Great Wall includes soldiers, forcibly recruited peasants, convicts and war prisoners.

Although the official number of the length of the Great Wall is 8851.8 kilometres (5,500 miles), the length of all the Great Wall built over thousands of years is estimated at 21,196.18 kilometres (13,170 miles). The circumference of the Equator is 40,075 kilometers (24,901 miles).

There is a popular legend about Meng Jiangnv whose husband died building the wall. Her weeping was so bitter that a section of the wall collapsed, revealing her husband’s bones so she could bury them.

Gubeikou section of the Great Wall, with bullet holes still can be seen in the wall, was the venue where the last battle fought at the Great Wall.

During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), many bricks of the Great Wall were taken away to use in building homes, farms or reservoirs.

The northwestern sections (e.g. in Gansu and Ningxia provinces) of the Great Wall are likely to disappear in 20 years, due to demolishment by nature and human.

Jiankou section of the Great Wall, known for being steep and winding, enjoys the most frequent appearance on picture books and post cards of the Great Wall.

The most famous section of the Great Wall-Badaling, had been visited by over 300 heads of state and VIPs from around the world, the first of which was Soviet statesman Klim Voroshilov in 1957.