Exploring the Great Wall: Ascending Badaling to Uncover the Wonders of Ancient Chinese Architectur

Summary

In this video, the host embarks on a journey to the Badaling section of the Great Wall of China, one of its most iconic and well-preserved parts. Starting from Beijing, they take bus 877 to the Deshengmen bus station and then ride the sliding car to the Wall. The video showcases the Wall's historical significance, its strategic towers, and the breathtaking views from the highest point. After a memorable experience, they descend, purchase commemorative medals, and return to Beijing, reflecting on the Wall's ancient construction and the resilience of its builders.

Takeaways

• 🚌 The journey to the Great Wall begins with taking the bus 877 from Deshengmen bus station in Beijing.
• 🏰 The Badaling section of the Great Wall is the destination, known for its strategic location and well-preserved condition.
• 🕰 The entire bus ride to the Great Wall is approximately an hour and a half long with no stops in between.
• 🎫 Upon arrival, visitors need to line up to buy tickets for entry to the Great Wall.
• 🚡 To reach the Great Wall, a sliding car is used for transportation, taking about ten minutes.
• 🏞 The Badaling Great Wall was constructed during the Ming Dynasty and holds significant cultural and historical value.
• 🔭 The wall is divided into southern and northern sections, with tourists generally preferring the northern section.
• 📍 The highest point visited is the eighth tower on the northern side, offering a view of the wall stretching into the distance.
• 🏹 The towers along the Great Wall served as key defense structures, with various roles including scouting and housing soldiers.
• 🛍️ Commemorative medals are available for purchase as keepsakes at the Great Wall.
• 🔙 After reaching the highest point, visitors return via a more walkable footpath constructed alongside the Wall.

Q & A

What mode of transportation does the narrator choose to reach the Great Wall?

The narrator chooses to take a bus, specifically the bus number 877, from Deshengmen bus station in Beijing to the Great Wall.

What is the historical significance of the Great Wall?

The Great Wall is an ancient Chinese military defense project that started over two thousand years ago and has a total length of about 21,000 kilometers.

Which section of the Great Wall are they visiting?

They are visiting the Badaling section of the Great Wall, which is one of the most famous and well-preserved sections.

How long does the bus journey to the Badaling Great Wall take?

The bus journey to the Badaling Great Wall takes about an hour and a half without any stops in between.

What is the purpose of the towers along the Great Wall?

The towers along the Great Wall are key parts of its defense system, used for scouting for enemies, signaling, storing supplies, and housing soldiers.

What is the highest point of the Badaling Great Wall that the narrator aims to reach?

The highest point they aim to reach is the eighth tower on the north side of the Badaling Great Wall.

What is the difference between the southern and northern sections of the Badaling Great Wall?

The northern section is generally preferred by tourists, while the southern section is steeper and less frequented by visitors.

What is the experience like on the sliding car to the Great Wall?

The sliding car takes about ten minutes, is not too fast, but provides a fun experience on the way to the Great Wall.

What challenges did the ancient workers face while constructing the Great Wall?

Ancient workers faced challenges such as manually transporting heavy materials across difficult terrains, enduring harsh weather conditions, and the threat of attacks from nomadic tribes.

What is the significance of the commemorative medal sold at the Great Wall?

The commemorative medal serves as a keepsake for visitors, with an engraving of their name and the date, symbolizing their achievement of reaching the Great Wall.

How does the narrator describe the path of the Great Wall?

The narrator describes the path as challenging with ups and downs, even though it is considered the smoothest part of the Great Wall, and it is hard to imagine how it was built.

Outlines

00:00

🚌 Journey to the Badaling Great Wall

The narrator embarks on a trip to the Great Wall, specifically the Badaling section, from downtown Beijing via bus 877. They describe the Deshengmen bus station, the bus ride's duration, and the section's significance as a historical military defense project. The script details the process of reaching the wall, including taking a sliding car, and the initial impressions upon arrival at the Great Wall.

05:04

🏰 Exploring the Badaling Great Wall

This paragraph delves into the Badaling section's history, its construction during the Ming Dynasty, and its status as a popular tourist destination. The narrator discusses the division of the wall into southern and northern sections, with a preference for the northern section due to its less steep terrain. The script includes personal experiences of climbing the wall, the role of the towers in the defense system, and the physical challenge of the terrain. The journey culminates at the highest point of the Badaling Great Wall, reflecting on the ancient construction methods.

10:05

🛍️ Commemorating the Visit and Return

The final paragraph covers the descent from the Great Wall and the construction of a walkable footpath for easier navigation. The narrator encounters a vendor selling commemorative medals, which they purchase as a memento. The script concludes with the return journey to Beijing via bus 877, reflecting on the Great Wall's historical significance and the experience of visiting it.

Keywords

💡Great Wall

The Great Wall is an ancient Chinese military defense project that spans over 21,000 kilometers and was started over two thousand years ago. It is the central theme of the video, depicting a journey to one of its most famous sections, the Badaling Great Wall, and showcasing its cultural and historical significance.

💡Deshengmen bus station

Deshengmen bus station in Beijing is the starting point for the journey described in the video. It is where the narrator boards bus 877 to reach the Great Wall, illustrating the accessibility of this historical site from the city.

💡Bus 877

Bus 877 is the specific transportation mentioned in the script that directly takes visitors from Deshengmen bus station to the Badaling Great Wall without any stops in between, highlighting the convenience for tourists to visit the site.

💡Badaling Great Wall

The Badaling section is one of the most visited and well-preserved parts of the Great Wall, located in the suburbs of Beijing. It is the destination of the video's journey, representing the historical and cultural value of the entire structure.

💡Sliding car

The sliding car, also referred to as a toboggan, is a funicular railway used to transport visitors to the Great Wall. It is mentioned in the script as a means of reaching the Wall, adding an element of excitement to the visit.

💡Towers

Towers along the Great Wall were integral to its defense system, serving various functions such as scouting, signaling, storing supplies, and housing soldiers. The script describes the towers as key parts of the Wall's structure, emphasizing their strategic importance.

💡Ming Dynasty

The Badaling Great Wall was constructed during the Ming Dynasty, which is a significant historical period in China known for its contributions to the reinforcement and expansion of the Great Wall. The script uses this term to provide historical context to the Wall's construction.

💡Strategic location

The Badaling Great Wall's strategic location is mentioned as a reason for its fame and preservation. It underscores the importance of the site in terms of military defense and its visibility as a tourist attraction.

💡Cultural and historical value

The cultural and historical value of the Badaling Great Wall is highlighted throughout the script, emphasizing its significance as a symbol of China's rich past and its role in military defense.

💡Commemorative medals

Commemorative medals are mentioned as a keepsake that visitors can purchase to remember their visit to the Great Wall. This detail adds a personal touch to the experience of visiting such a historical site.

💡Fire prevention zone

The area around the Great Wall is declared a level one fire prevention zone, as announced in the script. This indicates the importance of preserving the site and the measures taken to protect it from potential hazards.

Highlights

Heading to the Great Wall via bus from downtown Beijing.

Starting point is Deshengmen bus station and taking bus 877.

Visiting the Badaling section of the Great Wall, one of the most famous.

The Great Wall is over 2000 years old with a total length of 21,000 km.

Bus journey to Badaling takes 1.5 hours with no stops.

Arrival at Badaling and instructions for return bus line.

Buying tickets for the sliding car to reach the Great Wall.

Taking the sliding car for a 10-minute ride to the Wall.

Entering the Badaling Great Wall, a Ming Dynasty construction.

Exploring the northern section preferred by tourists.

Climbing to the highest point at the North Eighth Tower.

Towers serve as key defense points with various functions.

Experiencing the challenging path with ups and downs.

Reflecting on the ancient workers' efforts in building the Wall.

Descending with a constructed footpath for easier travel.

Purchasing commemorative medals as keepsakes of the visit.

Returning to the bus station to take bus 877 back to Beijing.

Highlighting the Great Wall's historical and cultural value.

Emphasizing the strategic location and preservation of Badaling.

Quoting the Chinese saying about visiting the Great Wall as a hero.

Transcripts

Hi everyone.

Today I'm heading to the Great Wall.

There are several ways to get to the Great Wall

from downtown Beijing,

and today I will take a bus.

Let's go.

This is the Deshengmen bus station in Beijing.

That's Deshengmen Arrow Tower.

We will take the bus 877 from here.

We got on the bus.

The Great Wall is very very long,

and today we are going to the section of the Badaling Great Wall.

OK, we are off.

The next stop is the Badaling Great Wall.

The Great Wall is an ancient Chinese military defense project,

started over two thousand years ago,

with a total length of about 21,000 kilometers.

It's impossible to visit the entire wall,

so today we're going to one of its most famous sections,

the Badaling Great Wall,

located in the suburbs of Beijing.

This bus will take us directly to the Badaling Great Wall

without any stops in between,

and the whole journey will take about an hour and a half.

Looks like we've arrived.

Alright, let's get off.

Then I'll tell everyone where to line up for the bus back to Beijing.

Please line up here to buy tickets.

We got the tickets.

The journey is about over an hour long.

We've gotten off the bus

and now we are taking a sliding car to get up to the Great Wall.

My mom and aunt want to buy some snacks.

It's up ahead.

Look, there are two ways.

Walk up the great wall.

Entrance to the sliding car station.

Ok, this way.

Announcement: Hello, dear visitors.

This area is a level one fire prevention zone.

Please do not smoke.

Thank you for your cooperation.

I see the entrance, it's up ahead.

Let's go in from here.

It seems the sliding car entrance is still ahead.

We need to take the sliding car to the place

where we can climb onto the Great Wall.

From here.

This way.

Over there.

Is this the entrance to the toboggan?

Yes.

That's the sliding car (toboggan).

It looks like it's gonna be a lot of fun.

Come on, let's get on.

Let's get on.

Sit down.

We've gotten on the sliding car!

The sliding car takes about ten minutes.

It's not too fast, but it's really fun.

I'm on the sliding car, this is so much fun.

Here we are.

Entrance to the Great Wall.

This way.

We've arrived at the Great Wall.

Yeah.

Here we are.

The Badaling section of the Great Wall of China

is one of its most famous stretches.

Due to its strategic location and well-preserved condition,

it has become one of the most recognized

and visited sections of the Wall.

Constructed during the Ming Dynasty,

the Badaling Great Wall

holds immense cultural and historical value.

It is divided into the southern and northern sections.

Generally, tourists prefer the northern section

The southern section is steeper and less frequented by visitors.

The highest point of the Badaling Great Wall

which is also our destination today.

The place we just came up is the fourth tower of the north side.

and that's five six seven eight.

That's the highest point.

That's our destination.

Go go go.

Now, let's go inside the tower.

The towers along the Great Wall are key parts of its defense system,

located at strategic points.

Their main roles include scouting for enemies,

signaling, storing supplies, and housing soldiers.

Each tower is designed to fit its specific location and defense needs,

varying in structure and function.

I'm here, inside the tower.

Oh, it's so cold.

I've been to Beijing many times,

but this is my first time at the Great Wall.

I'm a little tired.

I need this.

Are you tired?

Yeah.

It's okay, take your time.

Are you tired?

A bit.

It's okay, take your time.

Let's keep going.

Wave to me.

This part of the path, even though it doesn't have many steps,

is still quite challenging with all its ups and downs.

And yet, this is considered the smoothest part of the Great Wall.

It's really hard to imagine how they built this entire wall.

Tower six,

ahead of us.

It's a little traffic jam.

This is the steepest section of the north side.

Take your time walking up.

Take your time walking up.

That's the highest tower, we will be there soon.

This is the wall of the eighth tower.

Finally reaching the highest point of the Badaling Great Wall

I can't help but feel moved.

Ancient workers had to manually or with primitive methods

transport heavy materials like

bricks, stones, and soil across these terrains.

They also faced harsh conditions, including extreme weather

and the threat of attacks from nomadic tribes.

with almost every dynasty

I truly admire the wisdom, courage,

and perseverance of our ancestors.

We are going down now.

Just like most visitors, we started heading back

after reaching the highest point of the Badaling Great Wall.

To make the return journey more convenient

and to prevent any dangerous conflicts on the path

between those going up and those coming down,

a more walkable footpath has been constructed alongside the Wall,

On the way down, we came across a place

selling commemorative medals.

There's an old Chinese saying,

Now that we've made it to the Great Wall,

who could resist getting a medal for themselves?

I like this.

He is engraving my name and the date for me as a keepsake.

After coming down, we'll still take the sliding car back.

We are back at the bus station again.

We are taking the bus 877,

which brought us here back to downtown Beijing.

Ok, see you next time, bye.

The fourth tower of the north side.

because of its gentler slopes.

is at the North Eighth Tower

No need to walk too quickly.

No need to walk too quickly.

I finally arrived.

and seeing it stretch endlessly along the mountains into the distance,

The construction of the Great Wall spanned over two thousand years,

making contributions to its reinforcement and expansion.

making our descent much easier.

'One who hasn't been to the Great Wall is not a true hero.'