-- history continued --

Why Did Chinese Build Walls?
The threats of nomadic people in the north were constant throughout Chinese history. They were continuously raiding the Chinese northern borders. With every new ruler, came endless debates in the court on how to deal with those "barbarians". Chinese had four options:
1) Initiate offensive campaigns to drive them out of the neighborhood. 2) create defensive garrisons.
3) Make diplomatic and economic ties with them.
4) Build a wall to keep them out.
All the above options were favored at various times. They looked down upon the nomads as "people with animal heart" who live on the edge of the world. Any notion of them as an equal state was unthinkable. Thus wall building was the most favored option in many dynasties. There were three dynasties which built the most walls, they are Qin, Han, and Ming.

Qin (pronounced chin) (221-206 BC)
The legend has it that Qin Shih Huang, or the first emperor built the earliest Great Wall after the unification of China under the central Qin government. He intended to keep out the hsiong nu, or Huns from his country, to make a stable future for his descendents who will be the Second Emperor, Third Emperor…so on until infinity. However, forced conscription for wall building, and many other cruel treatment provoked a rebellion which overthrew his empire right after his death.

Han---One of the most powerful dynasties of Chinese history
was also bothered by Huns. The offensive campaigns were taken up, which did result in some success, though burdened the empire's finance. The great wall was repaired and added sections to accompany the empire's expansion to the west across the Gobi desert. This time, its mission is to protect the legendary Silk Roads. The great wall played a vital role in protecting those flourishing markets along the road.

Continued...........