Oh, the Great Wall of China—what a remarkable architectural piece thou art! But… what do we really know about this epic Chinese landmark? Here are some lesser-known facts you really need to catch up on.
It’s Made of a Few Different Walls
While it’s referred to as the Great Wall—singular—the Great Wall of China is actually made up of various sections! These different walls were built by different Chinese dynasties.
It Took Over 2000 Years to Build
Yes, the wall took 2000 years to build overall, putting all the dynasties’ work together. Estimations indicated that its first sections started being built in 771 BC, some of which were then demolished and rebuilt in 221 BC by the first Chinese emperor. In later years, other dynasties built and repaired more of it, culminating with its ultimate revival mid-2nd century by the Mind Dynasty.
Secret Ingredient: Sticky Rice
Okay, can this get more Chinese than that? While the Great Wall of China was built using mostly orthodox materials like brick, wood, and stone, it also contains one unorthodox ingredient: sticky rice flour! The Qin Dynasty actually leveraged its traits to make mortar back in the day. Who would have thought?
