Qin Dynasty
Jing Jan
t was 206 B.C., the last year of Qin Dynasty. In a poor village in the northwestern part of China, there
lived the oldest and the most revered villager, Grandpa Xing, with his son and grandchildren. The crooked
old man was peering through the windows of his rickety shed at the newly built Great Wall. Teardrops of
joy and pride and nostalgia streamed down his wrinkled face. Uncle Xing was in a deep reverie when
voices woke him to reality.
e Wong, Group 2: Fiction, Singapore International School Primary
I
"
Grandpa! We are back! Tell us about how you built the Great Wall and how you lost your left hand! And why
your back is so crooked!"
Grandpa Xing looked at his grandchildren affectionately. His grandchildren had brought him a new lease of
life when he was down in the abyss of despair. When the youngest grandchild climbed on his lap and gave him a
hug, he began his story shakily...
"
I was young and handsome back then. Your grandmother was the most charming girl in the village. At that
time, we did not enjoy a peaceful life like we do today. Sometimes, invaders from the dessert would come and
rob us of our livestock and harvest. When the invaders did not come, Emperor Qin Shi Wang's soldiers would
come and forcibly take away our young men.
Many of these young men never came back... One fateful day, when your Grandma and I were working in
the field together with your papa, a toddler then, the soldiers came. Alas! I was grabbed, shackled and bundled
away together with other young fellows of the village." Grandpa Xing was sobbing and choking.
His grandchildren dried his tears and comforted him with great care. The oldest one said soothingly,
"
Grandpa, please don't cry! Get the story out of your chest and you will live very happily from now on!"
"
Please tell us where they took you," cried the second one.
Grandpa Xing took a deep breath and bravely continued... "I still remember your Grandma crying for mercy
when I was being taken away. It still breaks my heart when thinking about it."
"
Please continue your story Grandpa!" cried the third one impatiently.
"
Be patient my dearest grandchildren. Well the soldiers took us all to a big construction site on the
mountain. Thousands of men of all ages were sitting on the ground with tools in their hands working on
something. They were in rags and sweating even though it was a cold day. Some soldiers kept shouting and
whipping those who stopped for breaths.
I was aghast and terrified. Before long, I was taken to a site supervisor who asked me if I knew masonry. 'I
know building structures with stones.' I replied solemnly.
The next moment, the supervisor gave me a big chisel. A burly man then took me to my work site on the
mountain side. My job was to cut stone from the mountain and chisel the stone into building blocks. It was
tough and painful work but I was never alone. Thousands of others were doing the same job on the mountain
side. We were also responsible for carrying the heavy stones to the construction site which I learned later that
the Emperor of China wanted to construct the Great Wall to ward off the marauders from the desert and the
frontiers."
Grandpa Xing stopped for a thought when his grandchildren chimed in together, "Grandpa! Go on and tell
us more! "
Grandpa Xing smiled and carried on, "Yes, when I knew I was one of the workmen building the Great Wall
to protect my country and my people, I felt proud even though I knew I would have to face the long years of
hardship before me. I worked willingly, so I had never been whipped. I worked without complaint so even the
terrible soldiers respected me. I worked courageously even though my hands and feet were covered in blisters.
Many men treated me as their role model, which I appreciated even though I was not the strongest man on the
entire site."
"
Grandpa, carry on please!"
Grandpa Xing cleared his throat and said huskily, "My grandchildren, do you want me to tell you why so
many young men could not come home?"
"
Oh yes please!"
"
Well... It's the most tragic story. The weakest and the frailest could not bear the hardship and they simply
dropped dead on the spot. Once they died, the soldiers would just cover their bodies with earth and stone and
whatever was there. The spirits of these dead workmen under the great wall and beside the great wall have
helped the trees and grass to grow greener and more luxuriantly. The spirits of these dead workmen under the
great wall bless the safety of China and it is these spirits that keep away all the invaders to our country."
Grandpa smiled to himself.