长城 the Great Wall

    In the history of mankind,no construction can be compared with the Great Wall,which spans more than two thousand li. It incorporates the glory and the humiliation,the prosprity epic,the great wall is among the most representative chapters. Construction of the wall first began during the Spring-Autumn and the Warming States Periods. Afterwards,it was under construction in almost every dynasty. The broad walls with an unconceivable pose wind upward along the mountains like two giant dragons. It is really a spectacle by virtue of its imposing manner and huge construction. It is one of the few man-made objects on earth that can be seen on the moon. It dates from about 770 BC. It is more than 6000 kilometres long, 6-7 metres high and 4-5 metres wide. All the work was done by hand. Many people were forced to work on the wall. Now the Great Wall has become a place of interest. We all know the famous Chinese saying: “He who does not reach the Great Wall is not a true man”.

    万里长城是世界古代建筑的奇迹。早在春秋时期，楚国就修筑了长数百千米的非封闭性城墙，叫作方城。战国时，燕、赵、魏、韩、秦等都在边界筑起了长城。秦始皇统一天下后，把燕、赵、秦原有的北方长城连接起来，筑成西起临洮东至辽东的长城，长万余里。今山西大同北部，甘肃岷县城西等地均有秦长城遗址。
明长城主体是城墙。山西东面至山海关一段，断面下宽上狭，平均底宽6米，高逾6.5米，外砌整齐条石和特大城砖，内部夯土。城墙顶部用三、四层砖铺砌，最上一层是方砖，用石灰勾缝，十分平正坚实，连野草也难以生根，平均宽5米，可容5马并骑10人并进。墙顶两侧还砌有砖墙，内侧砌成约高1.5米的矮墙，外侧砌成约高1.5米的垛墙，每一垛牙上面有了望孔，下面有一射击眼。城墙上有排水沟、吐水嘴等设施，在关口和险要的地方还设有凸出的罗城。
在人类历史上，没有哪一项建筑能够像长城一样，跨越上下2000年，纵横十万里的广阔时空，凝聚起一个民族的荣辱与举兴衰，在这雄浑壮阔的史诗当中，著名的八达岭长城便是最个代表性的篇章之一，长城的修建始于春秋战国，此后几乎历朝历代都进行了重修和新建，宽大的城墙如同两条巨龙以常人难以想象的姿态，在群山之间扶摇而生，其气势之雄伟，工程之浩大，令人叹为观止。