Forever Auspicious
Kylie Chan, Group
he Great Wall is a fortification shaped like a great dragon, with its body extending thousands of
miles across China,” Ms. Greene explained to Yang Yang’s class. Yang Yang Chan was a dorky
Chinese girl in her 4
th
year at Peak Valley Elementary School who wouldn’t go anywhere
without a good book. Her class homework assignment was to write a tale about one of the Seven
Wonders of the World, the Great Wall of China.
2:
Fiction, Kennedy School
“
T
As Yang Yang hurried down the path towards home, Mary Wigglebottom, her enemy and neighbor,
whooshed by in her Roly Poly X2000 rollerblades and jeered, “Hey, Yo Yo, I bet you’re thinking about
homework already, eh? Writing is so dumb, and so are you!” Yang Yang vowed, “Someday…I’ll show that
girl!”
…
Overwhelmed with sadness, Princess Zi Wei trembled as she stroked her golden pet dragon. “I’m sorry
but this is for the sake of China.” She whispered regretfully and then commanded the Wizard, “Turn Jin Long
into the greatest wall in the world that snakes through China to protect our people. Our savior he will be!”…
Yang Yang was entranced in the climax of her story when, suddenly, a wave of questions hit her. “Mom,”
Yang Yang dashed into the kitchen, “Exactly when and why was the Great Wall of China built? What is Great
Wall in Chinese? What is it made of? Who constructed it?”
“
Oh pumpkin, I wish Grandpa were here to tell you all about it…well, we might be able to find some
information in his book collection.” “Let’s see here…” Yang Yang waited impatiently as Mom flipped through
the pages of Gong Gong’s thick history book.
“
Construction of the Great Wall began around 770-476 BC. Numerous sections of the wall were built to
protect China from nomads of the north, such as the Mongolians. In 221 BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified
China and ordered the sections to be joined together to form one great fortification. Since then, the Great Wall
had been improved, lengthened, and maintained over many centuries and several dynasties. However, the
majority of the existing wall of today was constructed in the Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644 AD, when extensive
work was done by the Han people. The wall is more than 2000 years old!”
“
The Great Wall is called ‘Wan Li Chang Cheng’ in Chinese, which figuratively means ‘infinitely long
wall’. It is believed to stretch approximately 5,500 miles east to west from the Liaoning province to Gansu
province, stretching across mountains and landscapes. Can you believe…”
Yang Yang cut in squealing, “Wow! Is that like building a bridge from San Francisco to New York?” “I
think it’s much longer than that.” replied Mom. “In fact, this man-made project was so immense that some
thought it was visible from the moon with an unaided eye, but it can only be seen from the earth’s low orbit,
according to NASA.”
“
Tell me more!” Yang Yang begged. “It says here that the wall is about 16-26 feet tall and 15-30 feet
wide, about the length of our living room, perhaps. Many watchtowers and beacon towers were built along the
wall while thousands of soldiers were stationed there to warn each other of invaders by using fire and smoke as
signals.”
“
The materials used for construction was whatever that was available near the site, including limestone
blocks, bricks, mud, and dirt rammed between rough wood tied together with woven mats. In areas where good
materials were scarce, the wall was built with blocks cemented with a mixture of glutinous rice and egg white.”
“
Ooh, how interesting!” Yang Yang exclaimed. “Was that how castles were built too?” “Somewhat similar,
I suppose!” grinned Mom.
“
Close to a million people including slaves, soldiers, peasants, and even prisoners were gathered for this
incredible feat. Thousands died because of exhaustion and starvation and were buried near the wall itself.
That’s why some historians called the wall ‘The longest cemetery in the world’. Imagine that!”
“
Nowadays, the Great Wall is a very popular tourist attraction. Millions of people all over the world have
gone to marvel at its historical importance. We might visit it someday when you’re a bit older, pumpkin.”
Excited at the thought, Yang Yang sprinted back to her room to finish writing her story.
… 3000
years have passed. A peasant boy, the chosen one, from the Mutianyu village stumbled upon the
very stone with the ancient writing that would break the spell of the Wizard. The boy gasped as the dragon’s
form became visible. It gave out a thunderous roar only the boy could hear. Jin Long’s spirit was resurrected!
It then flew up to heaven to reunite with its master, Princess Zi Wei, while the body remained a famous
landmark of China.
“
Mom, what title should I give my story?” Mom thought for a minute and suggested, “‘Yong Rui’ would
be a good title. It’s your Gong Gong’s Chinese name, which means ‘Forever Auspicious’. Jin Long saved the
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