In 1972, during his historic visit to China, Richard Nixon visited a section of the Great Wall, not far from Beijing.
Nixon was aware of the Wall's part in China's history. It is one of the largest man-made constructions in the world, an enduring symbol of China itself. Parts of the Wall date back nearly 2,500 years. About 2,300 years ago the emperor Qin (also pronounced Ch'in) unified China. He also connected a number of defensive systems into a single Wall, which runs about 4,000 miles.
Originally built to keep nomadic tribes out of China, the Wall underwent major renovations in the 15th and 16th centuries.
IPIX photograph by Dan Kuban