"Visual Quotations"

Photographs by Richard Freeman



The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China was built in sections. Parts were built as early as the 7th century BC, with the sections being united in 220 BC. Construction continued up to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Its total length reaches 20,000 kilometers (12,400 miles). It was built mainly as a defense against invading tribes. To this end (I have heard) it was not very successful, with invaders creating ladders and going right over. Regardless it is an incredible feat of construction, and a lot of fun to run around on! These images are from two locations, one a little visited part of the wall in a rural village (sorry, I forget where), which has not been renovated. The other images are from the main tourist attraction outside of Beijing. They were all shot when I was teaching there in 2005. They are also the first set of images I have shot using a digital camera (a Canon Powershot S70, an excellent point and shoot, but not a serious camera, after about 1-year I stopped using it).

Wall 01
Wall 02
Wall 03
Wall 04
Wall 05
Wall 06
Wall 07
Wall 09
Wall 13
Wall 14
Wall 24
Rural Visit 03
Rural Visit 04
Rural Visit 05
Rural Visit 12
Rural Visit 20
Rural Visit 21
Rural Visit 24
Rural Visit 33

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