The Great Wall is an iconic symbol of China and a marvel of world architecture. Its construction took over two thousand years, encompassing a wealth of knowledge and stories that are waiting to be discovered. This holiday season, why not venture to Mutianyu Great Wall, step onto the Mutianyu Pass, and embark on a knowledge-rich and hands-on journey through the Great Wall?
Here, you will learn about the wall's extensive construction history and unique architectural structure, explore the historical evolution and military confrontations, understand the conflicts and exchanges between nomadic and agricultural peoples, and experience the perfect fusion of nature and culture.
Study tour highlights:
1. This study tour is officially organized by the professional Great Wall research base, which is awarded by the China Cultural Relics Protection Foundation.
2. Led by experienced educators, this study tour offers children the opportunity to learn from those who know the Great Wall best and hear their stories.
3. Exclusive access to the Mutianyu Pass classroom is provided, offering children an immersive experience of the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Great Wall's century-old history.
4. The study tour is connected to charitable activities that support the preservation of the Great Wall. Children will conduct field surveys of the Great Wall and act as ambassadors of Great Wall culture.
Learning themes:
1. Great Wall Field Survey
Most Chinese people have heard of the Great Wall, but do you know its actual length, structure, and the special materials used in its construction? Are beacon towers and watchtowers the same? What roles do parapet walls, arched gates, and crenellations play in attack and defense?
Great Wall instructors will impart all this knowledge to you through richly illustrated lectures and provide a specialized field survey manual and toolkit for on-site exploration of the Great Wall's structure, function, and current conservation status.
The Great Wall field survey includes pre-trip courses, indoor lectures, on-site surveys, and task check-ins, offering a variety of engaging and educational activities.
2. Arch construction of the Great Wall
As a symbol of the Chinese national spirit, "resilience" is an essential attribute of the Great Wall. How does the "hollow watchtower", a significant architectural feature of the Ming Great Wall, withstand centuries of war and natural disasters? Great Wall experts will scientifically illuminate the principles and functions of the Great Wall's key structure—the arch—and further interpret classic arch structures from around the world.
After the class, children will have the opportunity to experience the mystery of arch structures firsthand by moving bricks and mixing mortar according to traditional techniques to build a small arch themselves.
3. Millennium Great Wall stories
How much do you know about the history of the Great Wall? Is the Great Wall just a wall, or does it have other functions? Also, why did different dynasties build the Great Wall? Where does it start and end, and how long is it? How did the Great Wall transmit military signals, and what defense systems did it have?
The history of the Great Wall dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, around 656 BC, when the Chu state's wall began to serve its purpose. After unifying the country, Qin Shi Huang decided to abandon the walls that had been built for mutual defense among the states. Instead, he added to and repaired parts of the northern walls of Qin, Zhao, and Yan states' walls, which defended against nomadic tribes, forming China's first Great Wall stretching thousands of miles. Later, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, the wall was extended westward. Lastly, the Ming Dynasty's Great Wall has the highest quality of construction and is what we see today.
4. Preservation of the Great Wall
Although the Great Wall is a sturdy structure, it is gradually eroding with time. Once built to protect people's peaceful lives in the past, now the wall itself needs protection as it is disappearing bit by bit every day. It suffers from irreparable damage caused by powerful natural forces and human activities.
Protecting the Great Wall can be as simple as reading a book, sharing experiences after climbing it, keeping it clean by taking away trash, or learning and spreading knowledge about it upon returning to school. Even if you're not a professional, these are things we can all do for the Great Wall.
Come here, and you'll witness how magnificent the Great Wall is. Touch it, and you will feel the unique Chinese strength that lies within.
The preservation of this spiritual and cultural heritage doesn't require everyone to accomplish something great; it only needs countless ordinary people to understand and protect it together, just like every brick and shovelful of earth that was used to construct the sprawling culture of the Great Wall.
Join us in tracing history and focusing on the Great Wall to gain an authentic and thorough understanding of this human marvel and contribute to its preservation.
You are invited to bring your children along for our one-day Great Wall study tour, where you can help instill a sense of responsibility in them to safeguard the Great Wall culture.
For more details, please call 010-61626876.
