Mao Zedong's Poem
不到长城非好汉
Today, I’m taking you to The Great Wall of China, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. If you are lucky enough to have been already, I congratulate you on your achievements – Since you are curious and probably well informed about China and its recent history, you may have heard of this famous quote: He who never climbed the Great Wall cannot be deemed a Man. The Chinese original is taken from Chairman Mao’s poem written in 1935, and here is a translation I saw just now from one of China’s top search engines Baidu: Great Wall is not a True Man! Being a professional translator myself, I have to admit that this has made my day 
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Mutianyu 慕田峪长城
When I began my preparation for this picture blog, I leafed through my numerous old albums, intending to find representative photos from my visits to this unparalleled historical monument. If my memory serves me correctly, I have been to the Great Wall three times in the past twenty five years. Interestingly, I could not find a single shot for my very first visit back in 1988, when I was in Beijing twice before flying out to the UK that summer. This very fact makes me question my sanity and accuracy of my memory, without visual aids - did I really climb the Great Wall before leaving China, or have I got early signs of Alzheimer’s already ?
She who never climbed the Great Wall cannot be deemed a Woman
However, I have located concrete proof of my second and third visits. Take a look at these two which were taken during my climb at Mutianyu in 1994, while touring Beijing after six long years away in the UK. I went with a couple of artist friends and had a wonderful time, sweating out in the summer heat while toning up those sexy leg muscles. It was far less crowded, and just as scenic as Badaling, they assured me. It was AWESOME!
During my most recent visit to the Great Wall in the Spring of 2005, then in the digital age, as well as with a former professional newspaper photographer as my travel companion, I have quite a collection of high quality pictures to show for my exersions. Without further ado, enjoy the pictures and come to Badaling with me. Please click the links provided for further information about this magnificent construction and its long and enduring history – Can you see the Great Wall from the Moon or is it simply a myth?
How many people were buried down there?
Wow! Amazing pictures, Junying. It looks like you had bright, sunny days each time you went. It does seem daunting to climb the Great Wall, but I hope to one day
eden
Yes, Eden,
The climb can be quite daunting and physically very challenging, as it is a lot steeper than what you see in pictures. So don’t leave that must-climb too late
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I guess I was lucky to have sunshine when I visited. It would not have been such a marvellous experience if I slipped and fell on the way up or down
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Great to see you on the wall Junying and those legs are looking good! I go to the wall whenever I can and have also taken some great shots there, so happy to say I qualify as a ‘true man’! Many areas there are commercialized now so we mostly go out to the remote places to climb – Jinshanling and the adjacent Simatai are still reasonably less crowded, but Badaling section now resembles Disney Land. Still one of the most remarkable sights on the planet and should be on everyone’s bucket list.
Francisco,
Great to see you here, and I’d love to see some of your shots of the Great Wall, especially Jinshanling and further up – you most definitely qualify as a ‘true man’
!
I agree with you that Badaling is like Disney Land, I particularly disliked being ‘forced’ into various souvenir shops during our tour, but as you said, it’s still an amazing sight and should be on people’s bucket list!
Thanks for your lovely comments and hope to speak soon about your experience of Beijing and China!
Incredible pictures, Junying. Is the Great Wall as steep as the streets/steps of Monte Carlo? If so, I can do it!
There are some places I could revisit year after year because the beauty is so intense. The Grand Canyon is one of those places and the Great Wall seems like another. Some don’t understand why you would want to revisit a place you’ve already been when there are so many other places/things to see. It’s not just the beauty that brings you back there – it’s the connection you feel while you’re there. We both seem to understand that connection (no surprise) and after looking at your photos, I’m sure there will be more visits to the Great Wall. Except next time, you’ll be with me!
Yes, I’m with you most definitely on that point, Marni – some places are just too good not to return! You’ll be there with me when I climb it the next time
! I also hope that you’ll go to the Grand Canyon with me, as it is on my must-visit list 
Monte Carlo was pretty steep too
But there was a way around that climb, had I bothered to do my research 
However, with the Great Wall, I think we’ll have to climb it physically to prove our true worth as man or woman 
Beautiful pictures, Junying. I have never been to the great wall but it is on my bucket list. As a lover of Asia I can’t understand what has held me back. Perhaps I don’t want to break the wonders I have built in my mind with the reality but your pictures do confirm that the Great Wall is beautiful and it is hard to conceive how it was built so long ago.
Thank you for another wonderful trip into the Middle Kingdom. Great post! And those are some really nice legs, lol.
Dannie, thanks for the ego-boosting compliment, which is always welcome
Guess I should organise an Author’s Great Expedition to the Great Wall, so I get get all my friends to come along to that climb of a lifetime!
I’m looking forward to my next post this evening, featuring you know whom