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Great Wall Fortifications
The Great Wall served as the natural barrier for the safety of inner China in ancient times. It tramps over hills and dales. Its unique architectural style is a great wonder in the world. There are many different kinds of designs for the fortifications on the Great wall, such as passes, beacon towers and walls, and each of them has various functions.Passes are the most massive defense beachheads on the wall, often located in places of military importance which are favorable for defense. They are often composed of square walls, gates, gate towers, and moats. Take an example of the passes of the Ming-dynasty Great Wall. The Ming Great Wall boasts about one thousand passes. Among those, the most notable ones are Shanhaiguan, Huangyaguan, Juyongguan, Zijingguan, Daomaguan, Pingxingguan, Yanmenguan, Pianguan and Jiayuguan passes.
Beacon towers were used for passing military messages. They were often built on the tops of the mountains or rises for convenience in watching the enemies' movements. Due to its unique function, it is regarded as the oldest effective telegraph system in Chinese history. During the daytime, as fire cannot be seen very clearly in the strong sunshine, guarders take advantage of smoke to pass messages. In the Ming Dynasty, giving off smoke one time (or lifting one firebrand) together with a gun shot suggests there are about one hundred enemies. Additionally, the layout of the beacon towers is also very important.
Walls are the main part of the construction, averaging about 26.6 feet tall. They serve as the important link connecting the passes, beacon towers, watch towers and other military structures together. It was built very firmly at some vital passes.
Great Wall Construction List:
Beacon Towers
Construction Material
Great Wall Fortifications
Great Wall Passes
Walls
Labor Force
Principle & Method
Terrain & Structure