What was the Great Wall of China Made of

The construction of the Great Wall took up to 2,500 years. It is estimated that there are 928,755 steps on the Wall, and the whole building process was a great expenditure of millions of labor, which was equivalent to one-third of the national population in ancient times.

For such a massive man-made wonder, it must consume numerous resources. What was the Great Wall of China made of on earth so that it still can be erected until now? How many bricks were used to build it? Is it built with the same material?

The construction material consisted of rammed earth, stone, brick, lime, and wood. As a matter of fact, the material would change as the climate and geographical conditions, also depend on local resources. For instance, when the building got too steep mountains, stone, and rock would be used as the material to pave the way. In some plain areas, builders would use local soil, brick, and lime. When building it across deserts, the building material would be replaced with sand, in some sections, even reeds and red willows.

Various Materials in Different Dynasties

Some sections in South China were built with red clay, while in North China, loess was also used as building material. Not just the material, but the way of building also had been developed. Actually, rammed earth was used in the earlier building stages. With the development of technology, brick structures gradually became the main method to construct the Great Wall. The transformation of material did reflect technological improvement.

Earth, Wood, Branches, Sand, and Stone Were Used Before the Sui (581-618 AD)

The building material was diverse not only in different areas in China but also in every dynasty. Some of the Walls built in the Qin and Han Dynasties nearly become ruins. That is because, with low technology, most sections were built with earth, stone, sand, lime, and wood, especially the earth, before the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD). Sections built with earth in the Warring States Period (770-221 BC) can be hardly seen because the earth can not resist rain and wind. In the desert, reeds and red willows would be used as building material, rammed with sand.

Earth, Brick, and Stone Were Used During the Tang and Song (618-1279 AD)

During the Tang and Song Dynasties (618-1279 AD), brick-making technology had been greatly developed, and bricks were lighter to carry, which made bricks popular. However, it was expensive to produce. Some walls were built with bricks inside and covered with loess outside. But there were still some areas building the Wall with stone. But the brick structure was more solid than sections built with rammed earth and the former.

Bricks and Stone Were Used During the Ming (1368-1644 AD)

During the Ming Dynasty, with the technological maturity of brick-making, bricks were widely used to build the Great Wall of China. At the same time, to consolidate the Wall, lime mortar with sticky rice was used to bind the walls, which is still used to be the binder today. That may be the reason why the Wall is still erect in shape until now.

The appearance of gunpowder indicated the coming of Ethe ra of Firearms. From this period, the Great Wall was not just for military defense, but also to clear territorial boundaries and protect folks.

How Many Bricks Are There in the Great Wall

Except for difficulty measuring the specific size, length, width, and height, it was also challenging to estimate the exact amount of bricks used in the Great Wall. Although brick-making technology was raised in the later period, many walls were constructed with bricks. It was roughly estimated that 42 billion bricks were put into the construction of the Great Wall of China. It was said that if all the bricks are connected end to end, these bricks can round the equator 36 times.