Braingle: 'Wanli Changcheng' Riddle

Wanli Changcheng

Riddles are little poems or phrases that pose a question that needs answering. Riddles frequently rhyme, but this is not a requirement.

Puzzle ID:	#32932
Fun:	(3.01)
Difficulty:	(1.57)
Category:	Riddle
Submitted By:	jazzmusician46
Corrected By:	boodler

I am like a gigantic dragon winding through deserts, grasslands and plateaus,
and am well over 2,500 years old.
I am high, strong and massive and have a greyish-blue colour,
but parts of my body are now in ruins and have disappeared,
although sections of me that still remain have great historical significance.
I began as a baby dragon some 700 years before the Christ appeared on this earth,
and as the years endured I grew to be an adult,
all the while continuing to strengthen my keepers.
Whilst I am considered to be the longest graveyard in the world,
no one is ever buried within me anymore.

What am I?

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Answer

The Great Wall of China.

With a history of more than 2,500 years, some of the sections of the Great Wall are now in ruins or even entirely disappeared. However, it is still one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical stature.

The construction of the Great Wall began between the 7th and 8th centuries B.C. when the warring states built defensive walls to ward off enemies from the north. It was only a regional project then, until the Qin Dynasty, when the separate walls were joined together and consequently it stretched from east to west for about 5000 kilometres and served to keep nomadic tribes out. The Wall was further extended and strengthened in the succeeding dynasties, especially during the Ming dynasty, when the northern nomadic ethnic groups became very powerful. The Ming rulers had the Wall renovated 18 times. As a result, not the remains from the Qin dynasty were restored, but some 1000 kilometers were constructed to a full length of 6,700 kilometers.

It is said during the construction of the wall, one worker is buried every metre within the rocks of the wall.

The Mandarin word for 'The Great Wall of China' is Wanli Changcheng.
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Comments

GebbieRose Sep 10, 2006	Don't know what "wanli changcheng" means, but knew it from the first two lines. You've been traveling! Good job, clever!
lorpen Sep 10, 2006	Gee these riddles of yours are very good Jazz. Thanks.
Shadowmist Sep 10, 2006	Nice job, not too hard but not too easy.
vlerma Sep 10, 2006	At first I thought you were referring to the sphynix but after rereading I did firgure it out. Nice job and your additional informatiion was great. Thanks. More please.
jazzmusician46 Sep 10, 2006	Thank you all
GilmoreGirl63 Sep 12, 2006	I was actually able to get this one! Yay! Great riddle!
scallio Sep 13, 2006	Easy but still so interesting because of the details you included with the answer. I learned something new today! Thanks for a great teaser!
shoulder_angel Sep 15, 2006	I can't say that it was hard, but very well-written! Good job jazzmusician46!
jazzmusician46 Sep 15, 2006	Thanks for that, much appreciated. I try and vary the difficulty of riddles so the younger Braingle members can have a fair go too.
bookworm91 Apr 20, 2007	Yay, a riddle I got before I was done! Now I feel smart. Lol. But this a great teaser!
4demo Aug 10, 2007	Since I know Chinese, I got the answer as soon as I read the title, but I still enjoyed reading the riddle and explanation. Good teaser!
jazzmusician46 Aug 14, 2007	Thanks for that
Madelulabelle Sep 25, 2007	Good one, I got it from about the first sentence, but I enjoyed it all the same. I especially liked all the information you gave about the Wall. Great teaser!!!
mosca Dec 10, 2007	Nice teaser! I first thought of Hadrian's Wall, but realized it had to be older than that!
jazzmusician46 Dec 10, 2007	thanks Mosca
calmsavior Jan 03, 2008	Only about a fifth of it still remains, ad continues to suffer from erosion.
lucy_i Mar 24, 2008	Yup, I knew it from first line, even tho wasnt qute sure why lol Very nice
Meganan Mar 24, 2008	Great job. Not too easy or too hard
bradon182001 Mar 24, 2008	Didn't give myself enough ttime to even think about it. Once again Jazz, very good, informative teaser. You're the best. Thanks for posting.
builder Mar 24, 2008	Well written, fun, easy. Getting buried in the wall doesn't sound like a very good job description.
tommysmo Mar 24, 2008	very easy and an impressive sight if you ever get to go.
avonma Mar 24, 2008	Great teaser! I didn't know that workers were buried there; I was thinking it might be a glacier. So, I thought it was hard; but, like many others, I learned something today. Thanks!
FatHead Mar 24, 2008	I had no idea, but the title sounded Chinese or something.
SSVillalobos Mar 24, 2008	Nicely written, and a good explanation following. Good work!
Trishgal Mar 24, 2008	Great, I learned some things... Thx.
SweetPotato Mar 24, 2008	I got it on the first line, but learned a lot from your history lesson ... thank you for that. PS: We will soon have a Great Wall of the Rio Grande ... I hope not, though. What a waste!
locutus13ds Mar 24, 2008	Did not get it--Good one thouggh---
rt1819 Mar 24, 2008	This was very easy but also very clever and well written.
zaya Mar 24, 2008	Too easy, got it on the first two lines.
2ndhandrose Mar 24, 2008	Very good Teaser & Informative. I am no good at history, so of course I couldn't solve it. But enjoyed trying and reading the history Thanks Jazz
auntiesis Mar 24, 2008	Jazz, very good teaser. I got it about half way through, but still enjoyed reading the whole thing. Send us some more.
Fire_Shell96 Mar 24, 2008	I knew it instantly because I speak chinese and recognized it from the title. Nice teaser!
harrypotter4444 Mar 24, 2008	this was a very clever teaser and I really enjoyed it.THANKS!
common-sensei Mar 24, 2008	Great history on the Great Wall. What's amazing is that over and during the last 2000+ years, the Chinese could build a great wall using ancient methods to keep their enemies out. Today the the United States using much more advanced building and construction technology, can't even build a Descent FENCE to keep illegal aliens out!?! Go figure!
jazzmusician46 Mar 24, 2008	Thanks all of you for the fantastic positive comments! I really enjoyed writing it for Braingle. It is certainly an amazing sight to behold!
Lassie730 Mar 25, 2008	Great job! I learned something tiday.
Madelulabelle Mar 25, 2008	I remember this teaser from a while ago...congrats on teaser of the day. I love this riddle!!!
jazzmusician46 Mar 28, 2008	Thank you
s_o_s Apr 06, 2008	I got it quickly but still enjoyed it as it was so interesting! Well done & thanks
JessicaG Jun 01, 2009	Jazz, you haven't submitted a teaser in AGES! when are you gonna do another? this one is awesome, as per usual :-)
jarmihi Mar 24, 2011	I guess it doesn't help if I know Mandarin...
spirit_shadow Mar 24, 2011	Arg, the title kinda spoiled the teaser for me. I knew what it was pinyin for. ><
Simsker Mar 24, 2011	Lol I'm Chinese(not really mainland though)bit this is a really cool teaser!It's kind of disturbing though,the fact that within every one metre of the great wall is a worker,I WALKED THAT THING!!!:O
kittygirl19 Mar 24, 2011	CHINESE DRAGON!