"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).