New Tales of the Great Wall
Wing Sum Kwok, Group 3: Fiction, Shatin Tsung Tsin Secondary School
am now having a history lesson. This lesson is about the Qin Dynasty. It is really a boring lesson. I am
really sleepy. Suddenly, I see a picture of the Great Wall on the screen. I stare at the picture. It seems
familiar, but I cannot tell why. I find myself staring at the air, and slowly, I close my eyes.
BANG! I open my eyes, frightened. I look around the place and find there is a man sitting in front of me.
I
‘
Tell me, how can I be richer and live longer?’ the man asks impatiently.
‘
I…don’t…know…’ I answer hesitatingly.
‘
What do you mean?’ BANG! He hits the table again. I am totally terrified. I stand there, staring at my
own feet.
‘
Hey! Say something. You don’t want to be killed, do you?’ a girl standing next to me whispers.
‘
Hum…I think you can try to block the entrance of the wealth and health in the north. Then your wealth
and health will not easily link out.’ I answer carefully.
‘
Good idea! You’re really the best feng shui master in China!’
Standing outside the palace, I ask the girl, ‘Who is he?’
‘
Shhh! He is Qin Shi Huang, the King!’
‘
Then who are you?’
‘
What’s wrong with you today? Take a rest here. I’m going back to discuss how to build a wall there.’
After a few hours, she comes out and smiles to me. ‘The wall going to be built is called “the Great Wall”.
Relax, you are safe now.’
‘
But…many people are going to die for building it!’ I’m regretting what I’ve done now.
‘
Nobody is going to know the real reason of building the Great Wall. What they’re going to know about is
Qin Shi Huang is trying to protect China from the attack of Mongolian and other invaders. Don’t worry about
this.’
‘
But…’
‘
We have no choice.’ But I have a choice.
BANG! My classmate hits on my table. I open my eyes and look around the place, then I recognize that
here is my classroom. My history teacher is standing in front of me. She asks me, ‘What is the reason for Qin
Shi Huang to build the Great Wall?’
‘
He built the Great Wall because he wanted to be richer and live longer.’
‘
Of course not. He built the Great Wall because he wanted to keep China safe. Pay attention.’
The bell finally rings and the history lesson is over. I am now talking with Julia about my dream.
‘
So, the real reason for building the Great Wall is to keep the wealth and health of Qin Shi Huang?’
I nod my head, ‘It’s me who told him to do so…’