In the reign of Ch'in Shih Huang Ti (246-210 B.C.) the Wan-li-chang-cheng (Myriad Li Wall) was built along 2,300 miles of China's northern frontier against Mongol marauders. Constructed of cut stone and brick with a core of tamped earth, it was 25 feet thick at the base, 15 at the top, and between 20 and 30 feet high. Some 40,000 watchtowers rose 13 feet above the top of the wall; a foreground defense system with trenches, artificial obstacles and entanglements extended to a depth of 200 yards (the maximum distance an arrow could be shot). Over one million Chinese worked...
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