The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter., 1962-04-20
lHE GREAT WALL
OF CHINA MAY BE
SEEN FROM NOON

WASHINGTON--In a few years,
an astronaut may test the long-held
belief that the Great Wall of China
is the only man-made feature on
earth that would be visible to an
observer on the moon.
Parts Of the 2,00O-year-old wall
are rubble, but long stretches are
Virtually intact. Chinese Commu
nists recently started repairing
some damaged sections of the cren-
Ielated rampant.
The Great Wall twists like a
huge fossil dragon across the north
China from Shanhaikwan on the
Yellow Sea to the desert fortress OF
Kiayukwan, a distance of some L.
500 miles. The wallis winding, loop
ing course actually covers nearly
1900 miles, the National Geograp-
hic Society says.
Chin United China
Emperor Chin Shih Huang Ii
built much of the Great Wall in
the Srd century, B. C. Chin was a
remarkable ruler who united China
by subjugating group of war;
| ing states. He ordered weapons OF
fthe defeated armies to be melted
and cast into IL huge metal images
They Were placed around the gran
diose new imperial palace to serve
as guardians.
On the outskirts of Sienyang, his
capital, Chin built 270 palaces con,
nected by walled passages. They
were furnished with tents, canopies
musicians, dancing girls, and 49,
900 wives and concubines. To foil
would-be assassins, Chin never
lspent two consecutive nights. in the
same palace.
A somewhat caustical 'Chinest
historian described Chin as hav
ling ''high-pointed nose, slit eyes
pigeon breast, wolf voice, tigel
Iheart, and stingy, graceless
lcringing character"
Chinese savants painted unflat
ltering pictures of the emperor be
Icause he burned all classic book,
land buried alive AGO scholars wht
Iobjected to his policies. Chin, wh'
styled himself "The Only First
wanted history to begin with hi
dynasty.
| Work on the Great Wall starte'
lin 221, B. C. The northern Chimes.
states had built. walls along thei
borders before Chin, but he create,
1.-THE first unbroken barrier betweel
a unified China and the barbara
tribes to the north. Invasion o
China provinces always had com
from that direction. "Have- no fea
of the tiger from the SOUTH"
proverb advised, "but beware tn
rooster from the north"
Public Works Project
The Great Wall also was cor
ceived to provide work for tn
unemployed. Emperor Chin MAJ
shaled an army of 100000 workme
who included discharged soldier.
prisoners of war, criminals, prince
of conquered states, dishonest pull
llic officials, and scholars who in
sisted on preserving the classics.
Construction of the stone, earti
and brick barrier took Is years. A
least million men worked on tn
. project. So many workmen die
that the Great Wall earned th
grim title of "The Longest Gene
} ltery in the World" Victims wer
buried in the wall to appease NORTH
ern demons and serve as protectiv
spirits.
The Chinese looked on the Grea
wall as the edge of civilization
The north was the land of devils
Ito keep them out, the "demo
, screen" could have no gaps. There
! fore it was continued unbroken owe
rugged terrain even where inva
sion was improbable.
I Other dynasties extended and re
paired the wall many times, bu
much of the foundation is the orig
linal laid by Chin. Ironically, Ma
tional Geographic points ou
Ch'in's epitaph doesn't mention hi
wall or unification of China.
states. "He burned the books, an
he buried the scholars" The ss
wants had the last word.