Recent discoveries suggest that construction of defensive walls in northern China began about 688 BC. Today, the dragon-like walls that follow the mountain ridges and valleys north of Beijing were built during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and are immediately recognised by people around the world as 'The Great Wall of China'. Divided into six major themes, The Great Wall of China includes twelve essays by authors from China, Australia and the US and six moving interviews with people living along the Wall. The essays explore the social, cultural, technological, architectural and military histories of the walls as well as the contemporary significance of 'The Great Wall of China' as a heritage and tourism phenomenon and its role in popular culture today.