Many of you have probably visited the Great Wall of China, but most likely, you went to Badaling, a section near Beijing that is easily accessible from urban areas due to well-maintained expressways. Of course, I also went there when I first visited China in 2015.
I vividly remember the indescribable feeling of being in a place where tourists swarmed the seemingly endless wall, contemplating how it could have been built around 214 BC by a million people – a scale beyond imagination.
The place I'm introducing this time is "Changcheng First Pier," the starting point of the Great Wall, located over 6,000 km away from Beijing.
It's no exaggeration to say that everything began here.
There are various theories about why the Great Wall was built, such as to defend against attacks from Mongolia or to protect the Silk Road, but I believe the common underlying emotion was "anxiety."
Before sea routes developed, trade hubs were centered around Rome, with roads radiating outwards. Situated between Asia and the Middle East, the primary trade city was Dunhuang in present-day Gansu Province.
Beyond this city lay foreign lands with different skin colors and languages. In an era without today's advanced information and transportation networks, people embarking on overseas trade undoubtedly harbored anxieties. To alleviate these fears, many religious structures were built during this period. Simultaneously, the construction of the Great Wall is believed to have progressed to deal with potential attacks from enemies.
It's as if this place taught me a simple yet essential lesson for achieving anything: that by taking action driven by "anxiety" and steadily progressing step by step with a vast, mind-boggling plan, something visible even from satellite photos can be created.
"Travel" is full of extraordinary elements and possesses a magical power that helps you view your burdens from a completely different perspective.
Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided and international travel has largely returned to normal, why not be brave and choose to visit a place you wouldn't normally consider?
Next, I think I'll try visiting Inner Mongolia.
