Great Wall of China Research Paper

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Introduction

The whole world is well aware of the Great Wall of China. It is an iconic symbol that represents the face of China in terms of culture, history, political views, attitudes and national character in general. Mao Zedong, the father of modern China quoted that one is not man enough if they have not visited the Great Wall (Hayford, 103). Indeed, the phrase has been widely adopted by the media and by tourist promoters. The Wall itself is an iconic set of permanent structures that have withstood the harshness of the elements over thousands of years; just like the Chinese culture that largely remains intact despite the passage of time. The Great Wall of China is now, an important ingredient in the heritage of the Chinese. It is a source of pride for the nation, as other countries view it with admiration (Huang, 65-6). The wall has become synonymous with China. It defines Chinese character in modern society. What people do not know is that there is no single wall. The Great Wall is a series of walls built over time by several separate dynasties for varying intentions. The question is how the Great Wall of China has become such a significant national symbol.

The great wall and artistic symbolism

As opposed to a static conceptualized symbol, the Great Wall of China has evolved over time and keeps doing so. According to philosopher Gu Yanwu and Sima Qian, philosophers of the Chinese History in different times, the wall was a symbol of cruel ways of the first emperor in his ambitions in the pre-modern era. Such a notion was reflected in one of the common legends (Gao, 773). By the time the 19th C was ending, the negative implications subsided, and in their place came positive nationalistic views of consolidation identity and national power. The wall featured in art forms from China in the 1930s. The wall was used by the Chinese army to rout Japanese attackers during the 1937 Sino-Japanese war. In time, the wall acquired a symbolic meaning of resistance against invasion by foreigners. It, consequently, found favor with the artists during the war.

The greatness in the way the wall is viewed is informed in part by the reality of military activity during the time and the media in the course of the war; as opposed to the earlier abstract significance. According to the father of modern China, Yat-sen, popularized the wall as a symbol of the unity and identity of the Chinese people. It signified the resistance to foreign invasion in the first part of the 20th C. (Gao, 774). It is worth noting that despite all the efforts to popularize the wall, it was during the Japanese invasion of the 1930s that the wall gained its true symbolic significance that we know today

Works making use of the Great Wall for symbolic purpose were scarce during the Mao era (1949–76). The Wall was portrayed against such features as industries, reservoirs and other modern developments to signify the difference between the old and the new. It was an impression of the inferiority of the past versus the present; albeit temporarily (Gao, 774). After the death of Mao, near the end of the Cultural Revolution, and after the reforms instituted by Deng Xiaoping in the latter parts of the 70s, some avant-garde artists from China such as the 85 Movement started portraying the image of the Great Wall of China to demonstrate aesthetic concerns, as opposed to the concerns of the state. The artists ushered in the post Tiananmen avant-garde art movement of the 1990s.

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The random representation of the Great Wall happened at the same time as the rise of the new generation of artists and their goals. The artists of the 1980s and the 90s attempted to reshape the collective historical significance of the Great Wall into a utilitarian icon that could help deal with the complex and ambiguous contemporary demands placed on their artistic in-tray.

Significance of the Great Wall

The Great Wall of China can be regarded from two perspectives. Firstly, it is important to examine the significance of the wall during the early dynasties and how it influenced the power of the emperors at the time. The second way is to view the Great Wall of China as a symbolic icon of Chinese unity, culture, identity and pride in modern day, and, finally, as an architectural wonder.

The main objective of the construction of the Great Wall of China was to defend territory against foreign marauding forces. However, the wall gained more meaning during the Dynasty of Qing, by acquiring cultural value. The Great Wall is a marvelous 50 foot high, 3000 mile long stone structure. It is clearly a great feat.

The wall transformed into a psychological reality representing the essence of the Chinese people and the world, in general. The great wall is a representation of the barrier against western ideology and influence. Modern and ancient Chinese leaders alike, converge on the feeling that the west is a threat to Chinese existence since 300 BCE.

The symbolism of the Great Wall cannot be underestimated. It is a symbol of wisdom because it has lived through the times. The wall evokes emotion by reminding people of the strife that people encountered when it was built. Lately, it is a great tourist attraction and an economic magnate. Its uniting significance cannot be underestimated either.

The Great Wall of China is a representation of ingenious engineering and ambition. It is said to be the work by humans that can be spotted right from the distant moon. It is a union of architecture and the landscape. It is a living testimony that China has old civilizations. The rammed earth segments of the wall date back to the ancient Western Han, and are conserved within the Gansu Province. The acclaimed masonry of the Ming period is also captured in the symbolism (Su and Wall, 146-56). The wall is a significant icon and masterpiece of military architecture which was used for a single purpose for 2000 years but also one that has evolved perfectly through the changing political environments and military defense demands.

The Great Wall of China is viewed and widely noted today as a humongous architectural achievement in the history of man. It was designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO IN 1987. Man has made roads that break through the wall over the time in different locations. Some sections have been run down as a result of years of neglect. Badaling is the best known section of the Great Wall of China. It was put up in the latter parts of 1950s, and runs for 70 kilometers (43 miles). It is a great attraction to both foreign and local tourists.

Symbolism of the great wall

By even its name alone, the Great Wall of China is imposing. It is an architectural marvel in its own right. It is a representation of a range of aspects of the people of China and humanity. It captures the military and political power, architectural superiority and a….....

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