Travelogue 2010-04-06 History & Culture Series 3 - Qin Dynasty

In the year 221 BC, Emperor Qin Shihuang defeated all his enemies and unified China for the first time in its history. During his reign, the Huns from the north were a constant threat.

 To protect his people and safeguard his political power, the Emperor ordered General Meng Tian, commanding 300,000 soldiers, to defeat the enemy force. To prevent further attacks by the Huns, he decided to consolidate and extend the Great Wall of China. If you compare the Great Wall to a dragon, then Qinhuangdao is its head, facing the East China Sea. Qinhuangdao is the only city in China named after the title of an emperor. Qinhuang refers to the Emperor Qin Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty.

Shanhaiguan is an enclosed area encircled by walls linked to the Great Wall. In the center of the old town, Shanhaiguan Pass, also known as the First Pass under Heaven, is the first most important military pass along the Great Wall. Starting north from the Jingbian Tower is the Shanhaiguan Great Wall Museum, which contains a detailed history of this world-famous monument. It took about nine years to finish this grand project.

The construction of the Qin Great Wall took many lives and a great deal of money and materials. From a historical aspect, during Qin Shihuang''s rule, the Great Wall had served its role as a defensive force to protect people from wars and ensured them a peaceful and stable society.