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One thing that really speaks volumes about the achievements of the Chinese people is the manner in which the Great Wall of China enjoys recognition from almost every single human being on the planet. It alone is reason enough for some people to travel thousands of miles to China, and it completely lives up to expectations. Well, almost, I hear you can't actually see the Great Wall from space.
So for any budding space tourists who are thinking about going to marvel at the Great Wall from earth's outer atmosphere, perhaps you would be wise to plant your feet firmly on the ground and walk along the staircases and ramparts like the rest of us. Many famous heads of state and dignitaries have scaled the Great Wall, following Chairman Mao's example after he said; "If you haven't been to the Great Wall, you aren't a real man." Since coming to China I have been to three different sections of the Great Wall, each one making me more a man than the last…
The Mutianyu Great Wall
My first encounter with the Great Wall was here. Its size, its beauty, the setting and the spectacle of its history made me and everyone I was with fall silent as we approached. Standing on top of the Wall for the first time was awe inspiring. It would be a marvelous feet to build this by today's standards, but while up there I began to think about the people who built this wall so very long ago. Without today's technology it must have been very arduous and dangerous work. Keeping out the barbarians from the north, the Chinese people sacrificed their bodies, their blood, sweat and tears to make this wall. My friend Kyle summed up our mood when he said "You gotta give them this, the Chinese have done something amazing here!" And he was absolutely right, they had.
All smiles walking up the Wall
Kyle waves at the camera miles away
Lush forest surrounding the Mutianyu Wall
Seeing, touching and walking on one of mankind's greatest ever achievements in construction gave me a strange sense of pride at being a part of the human race. And it was with this feeling that I walked along the Wall, climbing step after step and resting at the many ramparts along the way. The views all around were spectacular. Rugged mountains covered in lush green forests filled the horizon. Walking along the undulating Wall I felt a great sense of achievement. Not least did I feel a personal achievement for finally making it to one of the world's great wonders, which had always been one of my dreams. After walking up hundreds of stairs to get to the wall we realized there was a chair lift to the top… Exhausted from the climb up, we unanimously decided not to use our legs to carry us back down; opting instead to take one of the man made routes – a slide. It didn't feel or look terribly safe; the only thing reminding us to slow down were a few widely waving guards strategically placed before every corner. But not to worry, the 1 yuan insurance made us all feel very safe…
Since that first visit I have been back to the Mutianyu section of the wall on quite a few occasions, usually with visiting family or friends. At this part of the Wall I have seen the same donkey 3 times, posed with guys dressed like warriors, haggled at the stalls and I even got someone to write the word ‘long' (dragon) in calligraphy on a t-shirt at one of the ramparts. It's a really stunning place that makes me realize how much we can achieve when we work together, and not only that the walk up (which I've done more often than not) really gives you a good work out!
Badaling section;
Probably the most popular tourist spot on the Wall. Made famous by a visit from Chairman Mao, Richard Nixon and a host of other visiting dignitaries, Badaling now sees more tourists each year than any other part of the wall. And for me, this part of the wall was more challenging. The incline is much steeper than Mutainyu and the stone under foot is worn smooth by the vast numbers of tourists who come here to "become a real man". Past the camel and the bears at the foot of the Badaling section, the views here are also astounding. Vast mountain scenery extends in all directions, while on the Wall itself, visitors are inclined to feel a sense of accomplishment when they reach the top.
The thing I found most difficult on this section of the Wall was the long stretches of smooth paving on steep slopes which could really do with a few steps. Luckily the walls have handy railings so it's quite easy to pull yourself up. The Wall is wider here and at some parts you can see that the two edges next to the wall have been worn down by tourists using the railings, with the middle section sometimes seeing very little by way of tourists. These difficulties make it all the more satisfying to reach the top.
After climbing and sliding in some places, you can reach the top where Chairman Mao's words are now etched in a plaque to remind all visitors of their achievement. And to be honest it is a satisfying one. When I climbed this section is was still cold, but even then there were still hordes of people at the top. It seems that people really take Mao's words seriously; I would bet that many millions of Chinese people have now come to Badaling to climb the Great Wall thanks to Mao's inspiration.
Jingshanling section;
It was 10 below zero, the section of wall was 10 km long and we were the only people there. There are 69 ramparts on this stretch of the wall, and we walked all of them. The Wall at the beginning of the section has been fully repaired, perhaps to lull you into a false sense of security… For most of the 10 km section is dilapidated – it's the wild Wall. This section of the Great Wall is an entirely different experience from the others. For a start, our group was the only people there. Maybe the fact that we went there in the dead of winter can help explain that, but I think the rugged terrain is also and important factor keeping away the bus loads of tour groups.
Some parts of the Wall was like a raised road with no sides, the ramparts were crumbling and cracking, loose bricks lay scattered all over. On the steep sections you had to watch your footing. To add to the spirit of adventure a bunch of locals walked the length of the Wall with us as ‘guides' just in case… But it turns out they were just following us trying to get us to buy things. It's not as exciting but its very ‘China'. There were a couple of places on this section of the wall that really got my nerves shaking. One such occasion was when we encountered a narrow and very steep staircase that was not guarded by walls on either side. In fact the only guard there was a Chinese guy ensuring everyone's safe passage. Although I'm not quite sure how he was supposed to stop anyone from falling.
Of course the views here were utterly spectacular, and when the Jinshanling section joins the Simatai section there is a great suspension bridge to cross, which was great fun. If the Wall was not hard enough to overcome, your spirit might just be broken by the guards who will make you pay for the privilege of entering the Simatai section. Of course you can run past without paying if you like, but as one of our group discovered the guards will follow you a long way. In fact I think they would have followed her home if she hadn't decided to pay.
Jinshanling is surely one of the most beautiful places I have had the pleasure of going to. It feels very wild and untamed despite the fact that you are walking on a man made wall. I think that's the beauty of it. Humans made this wall, then over time nature, battle damage and more humans have made the Wall more challenging than ever. My dad would say to me when I was young, "drink that, it'll put hair on your chest." It was a way of telling me that if I did something, I would grow up – become a man. Well, after climbing that section of the Wall I really think I can say that climbing the Jinshanlin section of the Great Wall will put hairs on my chest!
For more information on the Great Wall, please visit the Great Wall of China guide.
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