Military value of the Great Wall of China

Judging from the standpoint of modern warfare, the Great Wall can not be said to be a defence network of any great military value. Nevertheless when man's chief military weapons were the sword, arrows, bows, ge (hook weapon)and mao (spear), the situation was quite different.

The Great Wall offers excellent defence since it had been built in strategic places. It played an important role then. Many were instances in ancient times when it took a very long time to take a city or mountain pass. There were even cases when those who launched the attack had to retreat without a fight, when they saw the strong defence work of the city. In the Central Plain of China such firm and high defence work proved to be very useful to foil the attacks of mobile cavalry, which roamed from one place to another.

As a result of continuous construction and making improvement by the Ming Dynasty the Great Wall became a perfect defence network, whereby the central Chinese authority could, by means of various administrative and military levels of organization, reach the basic or grass root military unit, down to each soldier guarding the Great Wall. The Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan, obtaining ruling power throughout the nation. The original rulers, however, only retreated to their former positions. They were not destroyed. This made it possible for them to make a come-back. Under these circumstances, the Great Wall became a major security issue for the Ming Dynasty.

Photo of Badaling Great Wall


Photo of HuangHuaCheng Great Wall


Photo of Jinshanling Great Wall


Photo of Juyongguan Great Wall

Photo of Mutianyu Great Wall


Photo of Simatai Great Wall




Beijing Tour Routes Includes Great Wall
Beijing One Day Tour：
BD-4. Badaling Wall+Ming Tomb
BD-5. Badaling Wall+Summer Palace
BD-6. Badaling Great Wall,Tiananmen Square,Forbidden City
BD-7. Mutianyu wall+Ming Tomb
BD-8. Mutianyu Great wall, Summer Palace
BD-9. Mutianyu Great wall, Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City
BD-10. Simatai Great Wall
BD-11. Beijing Day Tour from Xingang Port
BD-14. Half Day Tour to Badaling Great Wall

Xingang Beijing Tour
BX-1. Xingang Beijing 2 days (no hotel)
BX-2. Xingang Beijing 2 days tour
BX-3. Xingang Beijing 4 days tour
BD-11. Xingang Beijing 1 day tour

Seat in Coach Beijing Tour
BST-1. Great Wall tour bus tour

Beijing Xian Tour
BJXA-3. Beijing Xian 4 days tour
BJXA-4. Beijing Xian 7 days tour
BJXA-5. Beijing Xian 9 days tour

Beijing Chengde Tour
BJCD-2. Beijing Chengde 6 days tour