If there is any site in China that most people think of when they hear the country’s name, it’s the Great Wall. Built across several centuries, under the direction and rule of many monarchs, the Great Wall spans 5600 kilometers of China, running generally east to west. It stood as a barrier to protect those on the south from the invaders of the north. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and astronaut Neil Armstrong reported that it could be seen from space. If one were to visit only one site in China, this would be it.
So today, we visited the Great Wall. And we attempted to climb the 1600+ steps to the top from our starting point at Badaling. That’s 1600 steps of uneven stone, uneven rise, and more straight up than one thinks possible. Two members of the group made it all the way in the time that we had, the rest of us were certain that if we had more time/were in better shape/ were climbing in cool weather/were climbing steps that were more even in depth, we would have made it, too. I’m one of the ones making the excuses…
Even without making it to the top, it’s an exhilarating experience to be at the Great Wall. I am struck by the human years, and lives, that were involved in its construction. Some writers have characterized it as the world’s longest cemetery, given the number of workers who died in its construction. (Some might characterize the Oregon Trail in the same way.) It is indeed a massive site, and it captures in so many ways the scope and span of history in which it was created and defended.
With that piece of history firmly in mind, and still feeling the effects of the climb on my knees and feet, we walked tonight after dinner in the Pedestrian Mall, an urban shopping center that felt like New York’s Times Square, only with buildings that were not tall. A large electronic screen dominated the main intersection, and stores that sold Gucci, Rolex, Hermes, and other high-end fashion were mixed with McDonald’s, KFC, Dairy Queen, and Starbucks, with local pharmacies, an international bookstore, and outdoor cafes also a part of the mix. As 21st century as it could be….
The contrasts were clear. China is a land of the very old, and the very new. Our guide, a young man whose English name is Penn and who is the father of a new baby boy, will be of the generation that brings them together.
