The Great Wall of China [Hardcover]

Roland Michaud (Author), Sabrina Michaud (Author), Michel Jan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2001

An engineering feat rarely matched in the history of the world, the 1500-mile-long Great Wall of China stretches from the shores of the Pacific to the Gobi Desert. It is such a prominent structure on earth that astronauts say they can see it with the naked eye from space. The 2000-year-old Great Wall was originally constructed to shield the ancient empire from invaders, but today it is regarded as a national symbol and attracts hordes of tourists from around the world. This text is a photographical survey of the wall as it snakes across the vastness of China's northern borders, along with paintings, sculptures, and scrolls depicting life along the wall through the centuries. Here also are evocative portraits of the nomads of the steppes who live near the wall, in much the same way as their ancestors. The text recounts the complete history of the wall, from the time it was begun during the Qin Dynasty 22 centuries ago to keep out strangers, to the era when it was used to expand the empire into Central Asia, to the period it was used as a trading route facilitating commerce along the Silk Road and later to allow for Buddhist expansion. Included in the text are excerpts from literature and poetry inspired by the wall that express the Chinese spirit throughout the ages.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This primarily pictorial representation promotes the theme that the 2000-year-old Great Wall "embraces every corner of Chinese history" from cold imperial authority to the exile of minority groups to military battles. The images portray the loneliness of China's frontier lands along the Great Wall and are supported by text developed by French researcher and writer Jan, with significant historical tracings from the works of Sima Qian, journal entries and poetry by Cai Yan, the popular legend of Meng Jiangnyu, sketches by Hongwu, and even contemporary writings by Lu Xun. There are panoramic photographs of the Great Wall as well as bas reliefs, paintings, and statues, all accompanied by detailed captions. One minor critique is that because of the detailed chronology of walls built throughout Chinese history, readers may not realize that the existing Great Wall was actually built during the Ming dynasty. Also, U.S. readers may be confused by the use of the term Fighting Kingdoms in place of the more usual Warring States. Overshadowing these minor points are the impressive images of the Great Wall. This book is rightfully dedicated to prominent French sinologist Jacques Guillermaz, who reviewed the text before he died. Peggy Spitzer Christoff, Library of Congress
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 270 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Press; 1 edition (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789207362
• ISBN-13: 978-0789207364
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 10.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,462,923 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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