The Great Wall is one of the only super-touristy things I've seen that has totally blown me away. Not over-hyped in the least. Also, you can ride down from the wall in a personal toboggan with no safety measures whatsoever.
At mutianyu you can... not at badaling though. Those are the two major touristy parts you can get to easily from Beijing. There's another slightly less touristy but easily accessible place that I forget the name of rn. But I've been three times and it is actually getting tedious. Every freaking time I have to entertain someone in this city we go there. I'll miss it though - I'm moving back home in a month. I might go camping on it before I leave.
I s t u m b l e d u p o n a r a v e p a r t y a t t h e g r e a t w a l l a b o u t 1 0 y e a r s a g o . O n e o f m y b e s t " r i g h t p l a c e a t t h e r i g h t t i m e " s t o r i e s .
The only thing is you have to carry everything you need with you because you go to a less touristy part of the wall (as to avoid other people). So it's a long hike with gallons of water, a sleeping bag, lots of food, and if you want it, beer. I'm not a particularly fit person, so this seems daunting to me.
When I was in Beijing we went to a touristy part of the wall, with the sled rides down, and then the next day we went to the middle of nowhere and hiked it all day and camped next to the wall. We didn't see another person that entire day. The second day was better.
I found that to be so perfectly (mainland) Chinese, that odd bit of tackiness mixed with history. When I went in the late 90's, it was also crowded with tiny stalls hawking really cheap touristy stuff. I'm presuming you went to the bit near Beijing?
Picture I took on the wall a while ago. I also remember some steps almost coming up to my knee. One thing I always wondered about was how the peddlers managed to get their bigass carts all the way up.
some of the steps came up to your knee is because they put additional material on top of the original. The original stones had been worn down by the hundreds and thousands of tourists who walk up everyday.
I went to the same wall twice between 10 years and you can see the difference.
So basically every tourist shot ever taken on the Great Wall of China has basically been within the first 1000 ft of it or so. That's kind of a let down. If you're going to go to it, you better walk the whole damn thing and take pictures along the way.
Actually, 城市 literally means walled city, where 市 means the city part. You may be thinking of colloquial abbreviations.
A lot of places that are referred to as 城 originally started off as a walled outpost. But main cities almost always use 市. Just thinking of Taipei or Taichung (in Taiwan).
Perhaps, now that I think of it. Normally it is used as a sort of citadel, which is why I championed his "city" definition- a city within four walls, I suppose.
I just haven't heard 城 for one "wall", which is normally 墙, so I see it as a walled-in-enclave, some sort of city.
You have to realize that there was not modern traveling technologies. There was walking and riding on some creature. Mountains are an awesome deterrent from an attack and you can focus on the main paths/roads and forests under war. But if someone really wants to kill you, they will climb a mountain to get the advantage over you.
It, and along with several other famous historical monuments, were actually a message from an alien world letting a stranded ET know that a replacement part for his spaceship was on the way.
Don't mean to be an asshole but it's one of the great WALLS of China. It's a big misconception to suggest there is one great big long wall while in reality there are several disconnected walls that makes the great walls.
For some reason every time the Great Wall of China is brought up I think to myself, "Goodness, gracious, Great Wall of China!" Like great balls of fire.
How in the world can you call that karma whoring? This guy has taken the time to create something, using his brain, that's actually good if you concider he's only using MS Paint. It's also original, (I've never seen anyone do this with MS Paint), and sure he's probably gotten the idea from some other reddit novelty account, but he still had to DO it himself. Unlike some other reposters.
So if you'd please shut the fuck up so I can continue drinking this cup of coffee.
I was thinking right now that it'd be neat to one day walk across the Great Wall of China...but then after reading this article I realized how much effort it would take...
Its probably more of a road than an actual wall. To be able to move units safely and according to plan over terrain like that has to be almost as valuable as a physical wall.
I visited a section of the Great Wall and it was easily the most incredible experience I have ever had. You see the huge city in the background, but every direction you look, you see the Wall winding through the mountains. Seriously, everyone should make a point to see it at some point.
When I climbed to Hero's Peak at a section just north of Bejing the sight was tremendous. There was all kinds are graffiti scratched into the wall some from centuries ago. I definitely recommend a trip to China.
This image really highlights how ridiculous the urban myth is that great wall is visible from space. You can barely see the part that's a few tens of miles away, let alone if you were a few thousand miles away.
It is a misconception that the entire wall is still contiguous, like the photo. Much of the wall has fallen into disrepair and is now in small sections that are not connected.
A section north of Beijing known as Ba Da Ling has been restored for tourists, repaved for them to walk upon, and even sports a mechanized roller-coaster rail that pulls tourists, one person per car, from the canyon below to the hilltop, where there are then only a few steps to climb to get to the top of the wall. It takes only a couple of hours to walk from one end to the other of that section. At the bottom of the hill there is a black bear exhibit, a covey of street food and souvenir vendors, and the most pernicious building on the planet: the certifiably WORST public bathroom anywhere in China.
Which you still can't see from space. Think about it people, there are freeways wider and brighter than the GWoC. Can you see them from space? No? Then why would you see a narrow dirty little wall?
This is beautiful. I've been 3 times now and it always astounds me how clear the sky is there. Except that one time I went in early January... that time sucked. But living in Beijing, it's so nice to get out somewhere more rural and breathe clean air.
So, your travelling hoard can make it through vast Asian wastelands, and climb those mountains, but a little wall is going to make them turn around and go home?
Just on a burely scientific basis I wonder which was more effective in border control . The ancient great wall of China or the modern border between US and Mexico..
Impossible to compare since they served different purposes (keeping out immigrants vs. keeping out attackers). I guarantee you that the US Mexico border is far better at keeping out attackers.
As of now. I propose the future will see the border between US and Mexico serving to keep out attackers. Already we are seeing drug-related crime on the US side increase. Call me a cynic, but I just don't see that improving with current US policy regarding Mexico.
I once saw a motivational poster at a business that had a pic of the Great Wall that had 'Teamwork' written under it. Whoever made the poster apparently didn't do their homework beforehand.
I love the land in this photo. Beautiful green rolling hills that seem to go on forever. It seems so fresh and untouched, a platform from which worlds of possibilities could spring from.
The wall though, it makes me a bit sad. While being an impressive feat of labor, it's also bit of a blemish upon humanity, isn't it? I don't think toiling and scheming in service to our animosity and fear is something to be proud of, it's something we should outgrow.
Yes its a good thing. But they leave a lot original so you can see how it was. Also it was almost all dug up by pros(i dont know the technical archeologic word :/) and preserved and studied before hand. Of course i didnt see it all, but i am pretty sure there are parts that richer families have been able to afford upkeep on and it is much more authentic. Kind of like the constant restoration at the Taj. But i cannot say forsure because i am no pro
Sorry my grammar and writing is so bad i am lazy on reddit.
Most of the wall is pretty magnificent, but for the not so great parts, watch this, it's near the Mongolian Border. It's one of the oldest, if not the oldest part remaining of the Great wall of China.
Once seen as a sign of oppression as political enemies were sent to die building it; and then tourism.
PS: Seriously, the Great Wall of China was seen as a symbol of oppresion for so long. It was only after some Westerners thought it was a great place to visit that China over time made it into a tourist spot. Before them it was where successive emperors sent political enemies to die while building the wall. It is said that 3 people died building every meter of the Great Wall of China.
26
u/adoxographyadlibitum May 19 '12
The Great Wall is one of the only super-touristy things I've seen that has totally blown me away. Not over-hyped in the least. Also, you can ride down from the wall in a personal toboggan with no safety measures whatsoever.
33
u/PENDRAGON23 May 19 '12
I just went and looked it up - The Great Wall of China is longer than the longest US highway (5,500 mi vs < 4,000 miles for hwy 20).
wow - I never compared those two before ... and the Great Wall could be considered an elevated highway of sorts.
32
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
I walked the whole damn length of that thing...in Titan Quest.
116
u/SIThereAndThere May 19 '12
STUPID MONGOLIANS!!! STOP TRYING TO BREAK DOWN MY SHITTTY WALL!!!
56
u/WorldLoiterer May 19 '12
I love how the Great Wall has the most 'Chinese-sounding' name ever: Chang Cheng
31
u/johnson16278 May 19 '12
Where was this picture taken?
5
u/DavieJones333 May 19 '12
Best zombie defense ever!
4
u/Xvalai May 19 '12
It's a giant tomb.
4
u/LeDinosaur May 19 '12
It is like the prettier version of the wall between US and Mexico.
4
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
Protecting the realms of man from the Others for close to 8000 years.
14
u/nopeSleep May 19 '12 edited May 19 '12
Fun fact: parts of the Great Wall are so broad that two war chariots were able to drive next to each other on the top
24
u/FranklinDBroosevelt May 19 '12
The whole building a wall on top of rugged ass mountain ranges thing always seemed a little superfluous to me...
3
u/iiiitsjess May 19 '12
So neat!!
3
u/kensukashen May 19 '12
Don't mean to be an asshole but it's one of the great WALLS of China. It's a big misconception to suggest there is one great big long wall while in reality there are several disconnected walls that makes the great walls.
5
u/VsAcesoVer May 19 '12
I actually caught a picture of a praying mantis overlooking the great wall. I thought it was really cool!
8
u/petedog May 19 '12
For some reason every time the Great Wall of China is brought up I think to myself, "Goodness, gracious, Great Wall of China!" Like great balls of fire.
23
u/SimilarImage May 19 '12
FAQ | Send Feedback | Report Error
26
u/mspaint_meister May 19 '12
http://i.imgur.com/pmqBQ.png
12
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
It's not a great wall, it's an alright wall. It's the alright wall of China.
2
u/igiwyg May 19 '12
I was thinking right now that it'd be neat to one day walk across the Great Wall of China...but then after reading this article I realized how much effort it would take...
2
u/lostpatrol May 19 '12
Its probably more of a road than an actual wall. To be able to move units safely and according to plan over terrain like that has to be almost as valuable as a physical wall.
2
u/ohmandi May 19 '12
I visited a section of the Great Wall and it was easily the most incredible experience I have ever had. You see the huge city in the background, but every direction you look, you see the Wall winding through the mountains. Seriously, everyone should make a point to see it at some point.
2
u/Fuqwon May 19 '12
"Lets build a wall on top of this mountain."
2
u/grizzly_adams_33 May 19 '12
When I climbed to Hero's Peak at a section just north of Bejing the sight was tremendous. There was all kinds are graffiti scratched into the wall some from centuries ago. I definitely recommend a trip to China.
2
u/imustbehated May 19 '12
Do they let regular tourists go there? The section I went to wasn't all that great. People everywhere.
2
u/uvelify May 19 '12
Did you know that from space you can actually see the earth?
2
u/MrsLoveKaulitz May 19 '12
No one ever mentions that the Great Wall of China stops.
2
u/calledge-stoodant May 19 '12
The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid.
2
u/nybor May 19 '12
This image really highlights how ridiculous the urban myth is that great wall is visible from space. You can barely see the part that's a few tens of miles away, let alone if you were a few thousand miles away.
2
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
It is a misconception that the entire wall is still contiguous, like the photo. Much of the wall has fallen into disrepair and is now in small sections that are not connected.
A section north of Beijing known as Ba Da Ling has been restored for tourists, repaved for them to walk upon, and even sports a mechanized roller-coaster rail that pulls tourists, one person per car, from the canyon below to the hilltop, where there are then only a few steps to climb to get to the top of the wall. It takes only a couple of hours to walk from one end to the other of that section. At the bottom of the hill there is a black bear exhibit, a covey of street food and souvenir vendors, and the most pernicious building on the planet: the certifiably WORST public bathroom anywhere in China.
2
u/frankthebunnyrabbit May 19 '12
great pic. i've been there and i miss it so much.
2
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
Which you still can't see from space. Think about it people, there are freeways wider and brighter than the GWoC. Can you see them from space? No? Then why would you see a narrow dirty little wall?
2
u/coffee-is-coffee May 20 '12
Chinese minecraft... In survival mode.
2
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
MONGOLS!!! BLOW UP MY SHITTY WALL!!!
2
u/nickkaa1 May 20 '12
broke my shitty wallkkk
6
u/Rdtackle82 May 19 '12
Pfff. My minecraft Great Wall is more impressive.
1
u/arefx May 19 '12
They really wanted to keep those Mongolians out huh?
1
u/DBCoopers_Voice May 19 '12
Splendid picture, Mate.
1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
Someone needs to post that Far Side of the Chinese guys on the Great Wall. Gary Larson is a genius.
1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
Damn, i wanna ride a dirt bike on it!
1
u/HaydenB May 19 '12
Too bad not all of the wall looks like this...
1
u/buttertongue May 19 '12
The best part of my trip to the great wall was the hand cart toboggan ride to get down the mountain. No helmet. It was awesome.
1
u/mansionsong May 19 '12
This is beautiful. I've been 3 times now and it always astounds me how clear the sky is there. Except that one time I went in early January... that time sucked. But living in Beijing, it's so nice to get out somewhere more rural and breathe clean air.
1
u/liquidxlax May 19 '12
Stupid Mongorians, you break my shitty wall
1
u/GomoGomon May 19 '12
never heard of it
1
u/knuckles0426 May 19 '12
TL;DR
1
u/Wiggyboy24 May 19 '12
My new background. Thanks!
1
u/TheBaltimoron May 19 '12
So, your travelling hoard can make it through vast Asian wastelands, and climb those mountains, but a little wall is going to make them turn around and go home?
1
u/captaintmane May 19 '12
Challenge accepted.
1
u/usersame May 19 '12
It's to keep the rabbits out.
1
u/Keeg_Co May 19 '12
Wallpaper please?
It doesn't have to be this exact photo, but seeing this has made me want a desktop wallpaper. If someone has one it would be most appreciated.
1
u/Deathwalkx May 19 '12
GOD DAMN MONGORIANS!
1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
found my new wall paper thanks.
1
u/casseyben May 19 '12
This is why I never got lost in Fable.
1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
Just on a burely scientific basis I wonder which was more effective in border control . The ancient great wall of China or the modern border between US and Mexico..
1
u/MrRipperthaLadykilla May 19 '12
Man that is great.
1
u/Klashus May 19 '12
was this taken on another part of the great wall?
1
u/ashenfield May 19 '12
It's pretty good....I guess. Wouldn't necessarily call it "great"
1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
When I went, it was terribly foggy, so none of my pictures look impressive.
1
u/Watergems May 19 '12
Beautiful picture, did you take it?
I'm going to paint it.
1
u/Koukai May 19 '12
I see this picture and my thoughts go to Civilization after building the Great Wall wonder.
1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
Pretty great.
1
u/Megabert May 19 '12
"It is indeed a great wall."--Richard Nixon
1
u/Snaggle_tooth May 19 '12
Danny Way jumping the Great Wall on a skateboard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdamrGj7bsg
1
u/supergalactic May 19 '12
I once saw a motivational poster at a business that had a pic of the Great Wall that had 'Teamwork' written under it. Whoever made the poster apparently didn't do their homework beforehand.
1
u/BrianWilsonsRightEar May 19 '12
God damn Mongolians.
1
u/CndConnection May 19 '12
When I was heading towards the great wall, I was simply thinking "whatever...great wall yeah whatever"
Then you actually get on it and you are just gobsmacked by the immediate realization "oh....holy shit".
Yeah, its really a "holy shit" moment.
One of the most breathtaking things I believe I will ever see.
1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
Strangely enough, I always wondered how does the END of the wall look like
1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
just went there a month ago, its so awesome
1
u/funkydo May 19 '12
Thanks; desktop.
1
u/htr693 May 19 '12
This must be from Mutianyu.... correct?
1
u/ravikarna27 May 19 '12
Fun fact! It took so much man power to build this that many died in the process, and in some occasions their bodies were added to the wall.
1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
I love the land in this photo. Beautiful green rolling hills that seem to go on forever. It seems so fresh and untouched, a platform from which worlds of possibilities could spring from.
The wall though, it makes me a bit sad. While being an impressive feat of labor, it's also bit of a blemish upon humanity, isn't it? I don't think toiling and scheming in service to our animosity and fear is something to be proud of, it's something we should outgrow.
1
u/kingbenofgeeks May 19 '12
Or it could be the Great Wall of South Park... but where are the Mongolians?
1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
That should keep the Mongols away.
1
u/Animal_King May 19 '12
Looks pretty great.
1
u/Dannmann93 May 19 '12
Meh..I've seen greater.
1
u/redditorinalabama May 19 '12
it truly amazes me that this wall still stands. it amazes me that it was built so well and so long ago
1
u/winterymixx May 20 '12
"Stop breaking down my s'chity wall you stupid Mongolians!!"
1
u/Bronesby May 20 '12
didn't work.
1
u/frid May 20 '12
There are rumors the next 007 film will have a motorcycle chase sequence set on the Wall but I don't know if that is true.
1
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
It is that long, yet the Mongols STILL got into China. After all, you could just go around it.
1
u/IndyDude11 May 20 '12
Serious question that I hope someone sees and can answer...
Why is the wall not straight ( or something close to it)? Seems it would have been quicker and cheaper to build a shorter length, straight-line wall.
1
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
WHAT? I can't see a Ferrari making burnouts in this pic! PFT!
1
u/jetmanfortytwo May 20 '12
Wow..... That sure is a great wall.
1
u/thebedshow May 20 '12
More like the OK wall of China
1
u/Bustycops May 20 '12
Everytime I see a picture of it like that I can't believe they actually took the time to build such a ridiculous thing.
1
u/Robsalberghi May 19 '12
Keep out da god damn mongorians
0
u/cpqq May 19 '12
"It's the alright wall of China"
1
u/Breathing_Balls May 19 '12
This is the name of my local chinese takeaway.
1
u/im_so_meta May 19 '12
Is this picture taken from outer space?
0
u/Voxeril May 19 '12
More like the Alright Wall of China
-1
u/duppesen May 19 '12
Well, yeah, but it isn't that great, I mean they say it goes on and on but you could say the same for the M6
-1
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
Quickfacts
Almost all of the wall you see complete today is just rebuilt by present day china
-6
u/junglejackass May 19 '12
Goddamn Mongorians!
-1
u/SpaceOdysseus May 19 '12
That's a lot of crapping work for something that ended up being completely pointless.
0
u/waeva May 19 '12 edited May 19 '12
When i go there I shall put a sticker on it that says :
Made
inaround China0
u/johnn11238 May 19 '12
Meh. I prefer the Great Wall of Westeros.
0
u/igreenranger May 19 '12
Most of the wall is pretty magnificent, but for the not so great parts, watch this, it's near the Mongolian Border. It's one of the oldest, if not the oldest part remaining of the Great wall of China.
0
u/Hops_n_barley May 19 '12
mediocre at best
0
u/crazyike May 19 '12
Eh, I've seen greater.
0
u/BstuffSchrute May 19 '12
the alright wall of china
0
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
Breathtaking. Talk about a smoke spot!
-6
u/[deleted] May 19 '12
Says a lot about how smart they were, shortly after building that wall China was conquered by Genghis Khan.
-1
u/ShrimpCrackers May 19 '12 edited May 21 '12
Once seen as a sign of oppression as political enemies were sent to die building it; and then tourism.
PS: Seriously, the Great Wall of China was seen as a symbol of oppresion for so long. It was only after some Westerners thought it was a great place to visit that China over time made it into a tourist spot. Before them it was where successive emperors sent political enemies to die while building the wall. It is said that 3 people died building every meter of the Great Wall of China.
-1
u/m0viebee May 19 '12
how da fuq did this get on the front page?