Walked all over the wild Great Wall of Beijing

Author: A Jian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: More than 500 kilometers of the Great Wall are located within Beijing during the Ming Dynasty. The specific distance is difficult to determine for the following reasons: Many sections of the Great Wall are intermittent, replaced by steep cliffs, connected only by beacon towers, or linked to the old walls of previous dynasties. Some sections are completely ruined, with only the markers on ancient maps remaining. Most sections of the Great Wall are undulating and winding, making it hard to measure accurately. As a result, the length of the Ming Great Wall in Beijing varies by source, and even different maps may show inconsistent measurements. For example, archaeologists may refer to the length of remaining ruins, researchers of ancient architecture may focus on the length of existing walls, and tourism development may have its own estimation. Therefore, "500 kilometers" is a general estimate.