Transcript Beijing, China - Brattleboro Union High School

Beijing, China
The Great Wall of China
5,500 miles
Crosses 3 geographical
regions:
Western- Gobi Desert (now
in ruin)
Central- Ordos Steppes
(mud)
East- precipitous
mountains to Pacific
Ocean
Construction
Watchtowers
Wooden frames
Tampered Earth
Brickwork (brick walls)
Kilns- mass brick production
Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC)
First Emperor- Qin Shih
Huang
Unified China (6 new
states)
First unified kingdom in
Chinese history
Built to defend from
Mongolian Hsiong nu
(Huns)
Connection of
previously-built walls
Han Dynasty (206 BC- 220 AD)
Still bothered by Huns
Tried to open diplomatic relations
“Too shameful”- stopped
Wall repaired, sections added for expansion West
across Gobi Desert
Protect Silk Road’s markets
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD)
“Modern” walls
Ming suffered disturbances
(Dadan, Tufan, Nuzhen)
Forbade any foreign contact in
16th century
Up to 25 ft.
Guard stations, watchtowers
Mutianyu
2.5 kilometers
22 watchtowers
Valleys
Granite
Nomadic tribes
Qi Dynasty (550577)
Ming Dynastyreconstructed
Tourism
17th-20th Centuries: Growing Western contact with
China
1987: World Heritage Site (UNESCO)
50-mile Beijing Portion receives 1,000s of tourists daily
Tiananmen Square
Gate of Heavenly Peace
1420-Original
Symbol of modern
China
Gatehouse of Ming and
Qing Dynasties
Original gate of
Forbidden City
Golden Water Bridge
7 white marble bridges
Central: widest
Central: for emperor
Huabiao
Central archway
2 Stone columns
Dragon designs
“Wangtianhou” decoration
Platform, tower- 5 arch ways
Central: largest, for emperors
Sides: smaller, for ministers, officials
Mao portrait
“Long Live the People’s Republic of China”
“Long Live the Great Unity of the World’s
Peoples”
Lions
2 Outside Gate
2 Guarding Bridges
Protection from evil
spirits
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
East of square
Clay figures: New Democracy, socialist construction period
Mao statue- North Great Hall
Crystal Coffin
Black granite base
Corpse- embalmed.
Internal organs- Formaldehyde
Monument to People’s Heroes
Completed 1958
Dedicated to those who died
fighting
Cornerstone by Mao & Zhu De
Middle of old Imperial Pathway
Break with feudal dynastic past
Student Protests
1989
April 15 Hu Yaobang
dies
Demand Democracy
Government reform
Chinese Political PartyCorruption
Civil Disobedience
June 4 Massacre
June 3: Troops toward Center
Barricades
Government Army vs.. Civilians
Civilians killed
Unknown death toll: 200 (Chen,
Mayor)- 2,600 (Red Cross)
Tourism
1,000s Daily
Relaxing: kites, walks
Holidays: covered in flowers
Bibliography
http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/greatwall.htm
China Travel Guide http://www.travelchinaguide.com
Mutianyu Great Wall http://www.mutianyugreatwall.net
Kerns, Ann. Who Will Shout If Not Us? Minneapolis, MN USA:Lerner Publishing Group Inc.,
2011. Print.
The China Guide. Tiananmen Square. Beijing Freedom Travel Agency. 2010. Web.
http://www.thebeijingguide.com/tiananmen_square/index.html
Kristof, Nicholas D. “Tiananmen Square.” New York Times. May 22, 2009. Print.
“1989: Massacre in Tiananmen Square.” On This Day BBC News. Web.