Long Wall of Quảng Ngãi

The Long Wall of Quang Ngai

One-hundred fifteen forts are located where rivers intersect the wall, with posts for 15 to 20 guards each.[4]^[8] In these secured settings, the Viet and the H're conducted trade, the H're trading rice, cinnamon, and forest products for salt from the Viet.

During the

Alternating chunks of soil and rock were used to build the wall, reaching 4 metres (13 ft) in height at its maximum and 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in width. In more rugged terrain, the wall was built primarily of rocks to prevent landslides and provide stability in inclement weather.[4] The wall is similar to Hadrian's Wall in that it is parallel to an antiquated trade route.^[2][5] Researchers have unearthed markets, temples,^[5] and the aforementioned forts^[2][4] along the road, all built long before the wall.^[5]

Some natives dub it the "Great Wall of Vietnam". The wall runs along the "Đường cái quan thượng" (English: Upper main Mandarin's road) as it safeguards the National Route connecting the north and south Vietnam regions.^[4]

Research

Christopher Young of English Heritage said, "The Long Wall presents an enormous opportunity for research, careful conservation and sustainable use".^[5] At a 27 March conference at the site of the wall, EU ambassadors deemed the wall a "unique architectural monument not only of Vietnam but also of the world". Hardy asserted that the wall "is the evidence of goods transaction between the people in the lowland and upperland". French Ambassador to Vietnam Jean-François Girault said, "In the world, there are walls to separate communities but the Truong Luy Wall in Quang Ngai gives us a new look about the mutual-assistance of difference communities".^[7]

Tourism and preservation

On 9 March 2011, the Vietnam government formally established the wall as a National Heritage site,^[1] planning to request the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage designation and to make the wall a global tourist site. In view of Quảng Ngãi's history, developing the wall for tourism would be difficult, CNN's Adam Bray noted. Tourism in Quảng Ngãi has been considerably limited by the government. Establishing the wall as a tourist destination would call for government encouragement of "adventure trekking and cycling through previously isolated highland communities on an unprecedented scale", introducing historical ecotourism.^[5] The government plans to build a "protected corridor stretching 500m on either side of the wall",^[1] and the People's Committee of Quảng Ngãi has devoted VND15 billion to rejuvenating and maintaining the wall.^[3] Nguyen Giang Hai of the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology asserted that since the preservation of the relic is contingent on indigenous sentiment, "there is a need to sow the seed of consciousness for protecting the relic in the community living alongside the structure." Young articulated that in the case of tourism, "income-generation opportunities" should be available for locals, since "a world heritage is not something to admire but [something] for the benefit of the people".

Between 27 April and 8 May,^[when?] English and French advisers will examine the wall and discuss with Quảng Ngãi officials how to publicise the wall in light of socioeconomic expansion.^[9]

References