Of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, six have already passed into the world of memory. Only one survives: the Great pyramid of Gizeh. There are, however, seven wonders of the present world existing today. Though many debates go on as to which of the present day’s world wonders would be classified as the seven greatest, there is one point on which people from all countries agree. The Great Wall of China assuredly is one of today’s Seven Wonders of the World.

 This wonder still is there, in China, for all to witness. It is visited every year, by millions of people. To go there is an enchanting experience, but to have the privilege of walking there alone while nobody else but the birds are there, is quite surreal.

Patrick Hacikyan/

Also known as the only man made structure that can be observed with the naked eye from a space station in the Earth’s orbit, Chang cheng, (the Chinese name for the Great Wall of China) truly is a sight to behold. The most visited section is known as Badaling. It is the part built during the Ming Dynasty, as of 1505 to occupy higher ground  and thus protect the Juyong pass wall to it’s south, which was built earlier, under the Qin dynasty in the 14th century.

This, however, is one of the more recent parts of the Chang Cheng (Meaning Long Wall in Chinese). In fact, as early as 441 BC, a section of the current configuration of the Great Wall started its construction, between the Jinan and Shandong provinces. It was later integrated in the ongoing construction of the Great Wall as more walls were built when China was first unified by Emperor Zheng, first emperor of the Qin dynasty. The walls were as of then intended to protect against northern potential invaders such as the Mongols and the Jurchens. The early walls were made with compacted earth and gravel, fortified with layers of reed. Some small pieces of these walls still survive until today.

The Hua yi tu map, dating back to the Song Dynasty, was made in 1136. On the north, we can already observe a clear depiction of the Great Wall of China.

The most visited part of the Great Wall of China, Badaling (10 million visitors in 2018) is thus dating back to the famous Ming Dynasty, a period corresponding to the Renaissance era in Europe. It is the most visited because it is near Beijing, China’s capital, where the largest proportion of tourists first go to. Badaling is about 80 kilometres to the north of the city. This fortification is magnificent all year round, drawing an amazing amount of tourists. This means that there is almost always a big crowd strolling along the top of the walls. Whether there is more or less people, the site is always a must-see. However, the Great Wall of China takes on a different atmosphere when one has the ultimate privilege of being alone atop it’s stone walkways.

For anyone wishing to be alone at the Chang cheng, nothing is guaranteed, but the best time to attempt this would definitely be in winter. January or February are probably the months where on some rare days, there some areas of the Badaling Wall where no one is there. To be able to visit when nobody treads atop the walls, it is also recommended to find one of the less popular points of entry.

If you are on foot, you can go to Badaling by using the metro and going to the Jiushuitan station. From there, you can go to the nearby Deshengmen Bus station, which is at the Deshengmen which is one of the northern gates of the Beijing city wall where there is a beautiful archery tower dating back to 1437. From there you can board the 877 bus line to Badaling. For about 30 RMB, you can also take the high speed train from the Beijing Bei (North station) to the Qing He station near Badaling.

Be prepared for very steep climbs in some sections of the Great Wall. Photo: © GEC

The impressive walls at Badaling cover an immense terrain. The area is covered with shrubs and small trees. It is quite a mountainous area and it’s highest structure stands at more than 1000 meters above sea level. This creates a very windy location, especially in the winter. Walking atop Chang Cheng is much like standing on the field of history. It makes one reflect on who may have been here before as well as the many events that have taken place around it.

While the Great Wall of China is a formidable stonework and is visually impressive, it is also moves an intellectually colossal weight. Like much historic buildings, the Chang Cheng is gifted with aesthetic qualities and cultural significance. However, much unlike castles and temples of old, it stills holds an important function. Even though today’s China has borders that are much more northern than these ancient fortifications, the Great Wall has a symbolical role. The Great Wall of China no longer has a military function per se, even though it could theoretically be used in certain contexts. Nevertheless, the Chang Cheng is a unique man made feature of the planet: it serves today as a strong beacon in the Chinese scenery. It is a powerful symbol that signifies the birth of China and its relentless resistance to any invaders. A stronghold in the highlands that runs for countless kilometres, as well as a bastion in the mind.

The Great Wall of China, photographed towards the end of the Qing dynasty, in 1907.

Walking on the Great Wall, one cannot help but try to imagine how long it stretches. It is quite hard to imagine how vase this complex is and how much hard work went into erecting it’s endless stretches. One striking feeling is the steepness of some of the passes. The steps climb high and low in the mountains in a vertiginous path. Looking far into the horizon, Chang Cheng leads beyond the human field of vision. Even an eagle would not be able to come close to seeing it’s ends.

While looking more closely, we can notice that some stretches of the wall are not accessible to the public. This is often because they are too steep for it to be safe for visitors. The wall was, after all, intended for military use. Some routes of the wall are also in need of brickwork, and therefore, have not been treaded on for many years. This leads the imagination to wonder who, in generations past, walked along its pathways, perhaps defending the territory with arms of a bygone time. Every brick, every mighty stone, even the newly replaced ones, is a source of inspiration that suggests the tremendous effort and craftsmanship that went into designing and building this fortress truly unique to this world.

Some passages of the Great Wall have not been walked upon in decades. Photo: © GEC

In fact, the colossal amount of work, and the countless lives that went into constructing the Great Wall of China has been a source of inspiration and cultural fertility for centuries. It is impossible to imagine how much pain must have been endured to complete this grand task, assuredly among today’s seven wonders of the world. One traditional story illustrates the scale of the impact that building Chang Cheng represented to the people of the times when it was constructed. The tale of Meng Jiang Nu, also known as Lady Meng Jiang’s story. It is a story dating back at least 2000 years back to the period during the State of Qi in eastern China, where the city of Qingdao currently is, in Shandong province. There are many versions of this tale, and during the Ming and Tang dynasties, it was complexified, and grew, so transcribing it here would not do it justice.

A Song dynasty period illustration of Meng Jiang, crying at the Great Wall of Qi, where the crumbled stones revealed the remains of her husband.

However, to sum it up, the story is about a woman, Meng Jiang, whose husband is selected for mandatory work on the Great Wall of Qi. He leaves for an extended period of work, but does not return or send news home for quite some time. Meng Jiang decides, out of her own initiative, to go to the construction site herself, unaccompanied, to bring warm clothing to help her husband because the cold is setting in. When she arrived, however, she found that her husband had worked himself to death. Unconsolable, she started crying on the spot. She did not move and continued crying and her tears accumulated on the stonework. She cried for so long, and shed such a quantity of tears, that she actually made a portion of the wall crumble down. The part of the wall that fell actually revealed her husband’s remains, creating a tragedy that is still told as a tale today, with many variants.

Walking alone along the top of the Great Wall of China is a unique experience. If you ever have the chance to go there, do take the time to breathe in the terrain and the many generations that came before. While gazing into the farthest reaches of the Chang Cheng visible to the eye, visualize the past history, as well as the countless people who will in the future, have the chance to step on this legendary barrier.

Stonework of the Chang Cheng. Photo: © GEC