| a system of fortified walls with a roadway along the top, constructed as a defense for China against the nomads of the regions that are now Mongolia and Manchuria: completed in the 3rd century b.c., but later repeatedly modified and rebuilt. 2000 mi. (3220 km) long. |
| Great Wall of China A line of fortifications extending about 2,414 km (1,500 mi) across northern China. Built in the third century B.C. by some 300,000 laborers (mainly criminals, conscript soldiers, and slaves), the wall proved ineffective against invaders and is today a major tourist attraction. |
A stone wall extending for fifteen hundred miles across northern China. Built to defend the Chinese border in ancient times, it has become a favorite destination for visitors to the country.