My Adventure at the Great Wall
Minh Dam, Group 2: Fiction, HKUGA Primary School
ast summer, I went on a trip with my parents. We had never been to China and we were not familiar
with the culture, but we decided to go to the Great Wall of China because it is very famous. It is also
the world’s longest structure in human history and it is even visible from Space by the naked eye!
Moreover, I have seen gorgeous pictures of it from the internet. I really look forward to visiting this
Dragon”.
The Great Wall was 8,850km long. It was built between 220 – 206 BC by the first emperor of
China, Qin Shi Huang. He wanted to prevent intruders from attacking his country. According to the Chinese
history, no one had even built high walls of this scale; but amazingly, he successfully ordered millions of
workers to build it using very advanced technologies of construction.
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On that day, I woke up earlier than usual and woke my dad and mom up. I wore my favourite white T-shirt
and short jeans. I also packed our lunch for picnic on the “Dragon’s back”. We had four delicious sandwiches,
three small snack boxes of assorted fruits and three bottles of distilled water (we were concerned of drinking
polluted water in China!).
It took us an hour by bus to Badaling, “North Pass” of Juyongguan pass. There was not a cloud in the clear
blue sky. Tourists from all over the world crowded around doing different activities: some of them were taking
pictures, some admiring the scene, some were hiking on the mountain ranges, some were busily bargaining with
the hawkers and some were trying to discover the history of the Great Wall.
While walking the enormous steps, we wondered how people at that time could walk up the steps. They
didn’t even have sneakers! I went everywhere by myself and explored while mom and dad kept taking pictures.
The sun was shining right above my head. It was really unbearable that I wanted to find a shade. The
watchtowers were tall and beautiful and they really looked old and shady. I was curious and I went in one of
them. It was stuffy and dark as if I was in a haunted house. I felt that the watchtower was spooky and I trembled
with fear.
Suddenly, the floor began to sink. I thought it was just my imagination, but it really was sinking! I tried to
walk, but the floor had started to turn into a tunnel and I was sucked into it! The tunnel turned and twisted.
Screaming with fear, I tried to keep myself steady but the tunnel kept me spinning as if I was in the center of a
tornado! Finally, the twisting stopped and I was dropped on the floor. I did not know how long I was
unconscious. Then I opened my eyes, sprung up as quickly as I could, and looked around. I wondered where I
was. I saw people dressed in strange clothings. Men’s hair was long and they were tied up like buns. Women’s
hair style was very complicated. Furthermore, they had shining acessories in their hair and glimmering jewels
around their necks. “I think I am back to the Qin Dynasty!” I realized.
I saw two guards watching me coming out from the watchtower. One was strong and tall and the other was
fierce with a moustache. They had weapons such as swords, bows and arrows. They took their arrows and bows
and aimed at me! I was sure that they thought that I was an intruder. I was terrified because I could die
immediately if anyone of them moved a finger. Luckily, I had my mobile phone with me. Then I had a brilliant
plan. I took the mobile phone out and turned it on. It gave out a welcoming tune: “Ding Dong Ding Dong”. The
guards had never seen a mobile phone before and they thought that it was a monster or something scary, and
they yelled, “Ah! A monster!” They were so scared that their faces turned white, then green and then blue! They
hurried away from the “Monster”. Of course, I laughed at that sight.
Suddenly, someone yelled, “Intruders, stop them!” and a whole army of guards and warriors came. I
stepped back and saw that on the other side of the Great Wall, some Mongolian people were climbing up the
wall. They were as speedy as cheetahs! They said something in their language and I thought it was something
like “Charge!” They jumped over and attacked. I had never seen a battle before but now there was one just
broke out right in front of me! I didn’t like violence and I hated to see anyone suffer and die. I had no choice but
to escape. I ran into the same watchtower I had been and peeked in thinking of the yummy sandwiches and
peaceful life waiting for me. The tunnel was still there! I hopped in and, again, I was in the twister suffering the
dizziness hoping to go back to the modern world.
After a while, I was back! People were taking pictures of watchtowers as if nothing happened. I looked at
my watch to see how much time had passed but it remained the same! “Hmm, it is still 12:00!”
Then, I saw my mother and father waving to me and calling, “Hey, are you going to join us? It’s
magnificent here!”
Coming!” I shouted, and I hurried there, feeling very lucky to be with my loving parents again.
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