When was the Great Wall of China Built

The Great Wall of China was not built in a day. But when was the Great Wall of China Built? The question needs to be traced back to years and centuries, nearly 2,000 years ago. About 9 dynasties contributed to its construction. During this long period, the Great Wall had been through expansion, destruction, and renovation for so many times. The Wall stretches from Liaoning province in the east to Gansu province in the west. As the most representative tourist attraction in China, and one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, the Great Wall is currently the longest one that took the longest time to build.

What Year was the Great Wall of China Made?

For such a vast engineering project, you may wonder when the Great Wall of China was built and finished. During the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC), a series of continuously arranged beacon towers, known as Liecheng, were built to defend the country.

The Great Wall of China was constructed in the 7th Century BC. At that time, the Chu state built Fangcheng to defend against attacks from the vassal states in the north. The earliest walls were composed of earth and stone, which were simple in material and structure.

The construction of the Great Wall lasted until 1878 in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912); the whole process took more than 2,000 years. The most frequently mentioned today is the Ming Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Construction Timeline of the Great Wall

The Spring and Autumn Period (770-221 BC)

Chu first built the Great Wall to repel Qi, which was recognized as the beginning of the construction of the Great Wall of China. In that period, many states were involved in wars. Therefore, some princely states started following the construction of the walls along their countries’ borders. The Great Wall was later constructed and improved by various dynasties in China. All those dispersed walls formed the prototype of the Great Wall.

The Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC)

With the appearance of the First Emperor of Qin, Qin Shi Huang, in Chinese history, six states, including Qi, Chu, Yan, Zhao, Wei, and Han, were unified. During the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), the Great Wall was connected and extended, forming a longer and more complete fortification to prevent the invasion of the northern Xiongnu. Sections connected in the Qin Dynasty created the preliminary scale of the Great Wall of China, laying a foundation for the military defense function. That’s also when the name, the Great Wall, was born.

The Han Dynasty (202 BC- 220 AD)

During the Han Dynasty (202 BC- 220 AD), the previous sections and the Qin Great Wall were revamped and reinforced. A new section wall was built to provide protection for the Silk Road and continually prevent the invasion by the Xiongnu. The wall was also expanded and improved by the latter dynasties.

The Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 AD)

In the Northern Wei Dynasty, the emperor first used bricks to build the Great Wall, rather than just earth and stone. The Great Wall of this period protected the national territory from intrusion by the minority nation, Rouran.

The Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577 AD)

Emperors in the Northern Qi Dynasty attached importance to the Great Wall. Despite the short reign, three more new sections were built, basically covering the northern border and the western one. The scale of this period ranks only second to the section built by the Qin and Han dynasties.

The Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD)

This period was relatively peaceful. Although the Sui Dynasty only lasted 37 days, it contributed to the restoration of the Great Wall. Numerous laborers were requisitioned for the engineering.

The Jin Dynasty (1115-1234 AD)

The Jin Dynasty did play an indispensable role in the construction of the Wall. In the Jin Dynasty, they learned from the Han people how to construct the Great Wall. It finally failed due to the material, bricks, and rock, which were not suited to the weather and geographical conditions. But later, it was known as Jin Jiehao. The Jin Great Wall, made of rammed earth and built with the board-ramming technique, has a different structure from previous ones. It combined ditches, walls, forts, and passes, and contributed to effective defense against the nomadic tribes from northern China.

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD)

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Great Wall of China was massively reconstructed and expanded. This period was seen as the last dynasty to construct the Great Wall on such a large scale. Most sections, such as Badaling and Mutianyu, that originate from this dynasty still exist today, and are well-preserved and open to the public. More mountain passes, military forts, and garrison cities were erected to prevent the Mongols and the Jurchens. The building of the Ming Great Wall took more than 200 years, with a total length of 8,851.8 km (5,500 miles).

The Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD)

The function of the national defense system of the Great Wall was gradually lessened in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). The Qing Dynasty spent over 40 years on the construction of Liu Tiao Bian, a Willow Palisade, made with willow on the banks. The Willow Palisade was built in Liaoning and Inner Mongolia with the purpose of stopping Han people and Mongols from crossing the border. And emperors in the Qing dynasty did repair the sections erected by previous dynasties.

How Long Did It Take to Build the Great Wall?

The building of the Great Wall dates back to the Warring States Period (771-476 BC). The first section of the Great Wall of China was built by the Chu State. After that, new sections were built for many reasons, like self-defense or defending against invaders, and old sections were rebuilt or destroyed by human behaviors or natural conditions. The long process took over 2,500 years. The Ming Great Wall building lasted nearly 270 years. The construction of the Great Wall of China is a mix of the efforts of various dynasties in history.

Ages for the Major Sections of the Great Wall in China

The Great Wall has been through thousands of years, but there are some sections of the Great Wall still existing and being perfectly preserved. The chart below enumerates the time of building and ages, which could help you learn more about them.

Section of Great Wall Time of Building Age Jiankou Great Wall 1368 About 657 years Jinshanling Great Wall 1368 Simatai Great Wall 1373 About 650 years Shanhaiguan Pass 1381 About 640 years Mutianyu Great Wall 1404 About 620 years Badaling Great Wall 1505 About 520 years