The Great Wall of China: Symbol, Identity, and Culture

Introduction

The whole world is well aware of the Great Wall of China. It is an iconic symbol that represents the face of China in terms of culture, history, political views, attitudes, and national character in general. Mao Zedong, the father of modern China, is quoted as saying that one is not man enough if they have not visited the Great Wall (Hayford, 103). Indeed, the phrase has been widely adopted by the media and by tourist promoters. The Wall itself is an iconic set of permanent structures that have withstood the harshness of the elements over thousands of years — much like the Chinese culture, which largely remains intact despite the passage of time.

The Great Wall of China is now an important ingredient in the heritage of the Chinese people. It is a source of pride for the nation, and other countries view it with admiration (Huang, 65–6). The wall has become synonymous with China and defines Chinese character in modern society. What many people do not know is that there is no single wall. The Great Wall is a series of walls built over time by several separate dynasties for varying intentions. The central question this paper addresses is how the Great Wall of China has become such a significant national symbol.

The Great Wall and Artistic Symbolism

As opposed to a static, conceptualized symbol, the Great Wall of China has evolved over time and continues to do so. According to the philosophers Gu Yanwu and Sima Qian, who wrote about Chinese history at different times, the wall was a symbol of the cruel ways of the first emperor and his ambitions in the pre-modern era. Such a notion was reflected in one of the common legends of the time (Gao, 773). By the end of the 19th century, however, the negative implications had subsided, and in their place came positive nationalistic views of consolidated identity and national power. The wall featured prominently in Chinese art forms during the 1930s. When the Chinese army used the wall to rout Japanese attackers during the 1937 Sino-Japanese War, the wall acquired a symbolic meaning of resistance against foreign invasion and consequently found favor with artists during the war.

The grandeur with which the wall is viewed today is informed in part by the reality of military activity at the time and by media coverage during the war, as opposed to earlier, more abstract significance. Sun Yat-sen, regarded as the father of modern China, popularized the wall as a symbol of the unity and identity of the Chinese people. It signified resistance to foreign invasion in the first part of the 20th century (Gao, 774). It is worth noting that despite all efforts to popularize the wall beforehand, it was during the Japanese invasion of the 1930s that the wall gained the true symbolic significance we recognize today.

Works making use of the Great Wall for symbolic purposes were scarce during the Mao era (1949–76). The Wall was portrayed alongside features such as industries, reservoirs, and other modern developments to signify the contrast between the old and the new — an impression of the inferiority of the past versus the present, albeit a temporary framing (Gao, 774). After the death of Mao, near the end of the Cultural Revolution, and following the reforms instituted by Deng Xiaoping in the latter part of the 1970s, avant-garde artists such as those of the 85 Movement began portraying the image of the Great Wall to demonstrate aesthetic concerns rather than concerns of the state. These artists ushered in the post-Tiananmen avant-garde art movement of the 1990s. The artists of the 1980s and 1990s attempted to reshape the collective historical significance of the Great Wall into a utilitarian icon capable of addressing the complex and ambiguous contemporary demands placed on their artistic practice.

Significance of the Great Wall

The Great Wall of China can be regarded from two perspectives. The first is to examine the significance of the wall during the early dynasties and how it influenced the power of the emperors at the time. The second is to view the Great Wall as a symbolic icon of Chinese unity, culture, identity, and pride in the modern day — and, finally, as an architectural wonder.

The main objective of the construction of the Great Wall of China was to defend territory against foreign marauding forces. However, the wall gained additional meaning during the Qing Dynasty by acquiring cultural value. The Great Wall is a marvelous structure standing approximately 50 feet high and stretching over 3,000 miles. It is clearly a remarkable feat of human endeavor.

The wall transformed into a psychological reality representing the essence of the Chinese people and their relationship with the wider world. The Great Wall serves as a representation of the barrier against western ideology and influence. Modern and ancient Chinese leaders alike have shared the feeling that the West poses a threat to Chinese existence dating back to 300 BCE.

The symbolism of the Great Wall cannot be underestimated. It is a symbol of wisdom, having endured through the ages. The wall evokes emotion by reminding people of the strife encountered during its construction. In more recent times, it has become a major tourist attraction and an economic draw. Its unifying significance is equally powerful.

The Great Wall of China is a representation of ingenious engineering and ambition. It is often said to be the only human-made structure visible from the moon. It is a union of architecture and landscape, and a living testimony to China's ancient civilizations. The rammed-earth segments of the wall date back to the ancient Western Han period and are preserved within Gansu Province. The celebrated masonry of the Ming period is also captured in the wall's symbolism (Su and Wall, 146–56). The wall is a significant icon and masterpiece of military architecture that served a single strategic purpose for 2,000 years while also evolving through changing political environments and military defense demands.

The Great Wall of China is widely regarded today as a monumental architectural achievement in human history. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Over time, roads have been cut through the wall at various locations, and some sections have fallen into disrepair through years of neglect. Badaling is the best-known section of the Great Wall. It was restored in the latter part of the 1950s and runs for 70 kilometers (43 miles). It remains a major attraction for both foreign and domestic tourists.

Conclusion

The Great Wall is the most recognized physical, man-made feature of China. It surpasses even some of the most renowned natural features across the Chinese landscape. It is filled with historical meaning and political innuendo that continues to evolve over time. It has existed and functioned as an evolving concept rather than a static, rigidly perceived symbol. The enormous symbolic weight of the Great Wall as we know it today was shaped by a range of factors, including military reality and the public media coverage of the war events of the 1930s — not by abstract concepts alone.

The Chinese nation remains greatly walled even as it boasts fast-paced cities with postmodern designs and outlooks. The government is repeating the same old script that ancient rulers followed when they built walls to keep raiders at bay, now strangling internet space through virtual firewalls. The phrase "the Great Wall of China" has, in fact, become a colloquial term referring to the technology barriers constructed within China. The Wall has represented both glory and tyranny over the centuries, from the Confucian heritage dating back hundreds of years to the censorship battles of the digital age.

The Great Wall myth, whether viewed as positive or negative, has greatly influenced the imagination of the Han Chinese, who view the Wall as a symbol of unity and pride. They still value their widespread, age-old walls around their social and economic lives — often at the expense of outsiders — within the deeply entrenched system of "us versus them." The Great Wall of China stands tall and conspicuous, visible from a great distance, for a myriad of reasons and with a myriad of meanings for the Chinese and for the world alike.

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