Brain Teasers
Wanli Changcheng
Riddle
Riddles are little poems or phrases that pose a question that needs answering. Riddles frequently rhyme, but this is not a requirement.Riddle
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?
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?
Hint
The answer lies in the title.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
Don't know what "wanli changcheng" means, but knew it from the first two lines. You've been traveling! Good job, clever!
Gee these riddles of yours are very good Jazz. Thanks.
Nice job, not too hard but not too easy.
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.
Thank you all
I was actually able to get this one! Yay! Great riddle!
Easy but still so interesting because of the details you included with the answer. I learned something new today! Thanks for a great teaser!
I can't say that it was hard, but very well-written! Good job jazzmusician46!
Thanks for that, much appreciated. I try and vary the difficulty of riddles so the younger Braingle members can have a fair go too.
Yay, a riddle I got before I was done! Now I feel smart. Lol. But this a great teaser!
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!
Thanks for that
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!!!
Nice teaser! I first thought of Hadrian's Wall, but realized it had to be older than that!
thanks Mosca
Only about a fifth of it still remains, ad continues to suffer from erosion.
Yup, I knew it from first line, even tho wasnt qute sure why lol
Very nice
Very nice
Great job. Not too easy or too hard
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.
Well written, fun, easy. Getting buried in the wall doesn't sound like a very good job description.
very easy and an impressive sight if you ever get to go.
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!
I had no idea, but the title sounded Chinese or something.
Nicely written, and a good explanation following. Good work!
Great, I learned some things... Thx.
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!
PS: We will soon have a Great Wall of the Rio Grande ... I hope not, though. What a waste!
Did not get it--Good one thouggh---
This was very easy but also very clever and well written.
Too easy, got it on the first two lines.
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
I am no good at history, so of
course I couldn't solve it. But
enjoyed trying and reading the
history
Thanks Jazz
Jazz, very good teaser. I got it about half way through, but still enjoyed reading the whole thing. Send us some more.
I knew it instantly because I speak chinese and recognized it from the title. Nice teaser!
this was a very clever teaser and I really enjoyed it.THANKS!
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!
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!
Thanks all of you for the fantastic positive comments! I really enjoyed writing it for Braingle. It is certainly an amazing sight to behold!
Great job! I learned something
tiday.
I remember this teaser from a while ago...congrats on teaser of the day. I love this riddle!!!
Thank you
I got it quickly but still enjoyed it as it was so interesting! Well done & thanks
Jazz, you haven't submitted a teaser in AGES!
when are you gonna do another?
this one is awesome, as per usual :-)
when are you gonna do another?
this one is awesome, as per usual :-)
I guess it doesn't help if I know Mandarin...
Arg, the title kinda spoiled the teaser for me. I knew what it was pinyin for. ><
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
CHINESE DRAGON!
Everything that needed to be said has already been written so I will just leasve this
Read the hint- got it
Easy, but well written.
Easy once I read the hint.
I legit thought it was a volcano of some sort.
Interesting history and info in the answer. In the first line or two, I thought it was some Chinese river (due to the title), but it quickly became quite clear what it was.
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