Watchtowers and the building concept of border defence facilities of Qin

What is it about?

This work explores how the Qin State, a powerful kingdom in ancient China's Warring States period, built watchtowers along a part of the Great Wall, specifically the King of Zhao Xiang Great Wall (ZXGW) in Shaanxi. Watchtowers were one of the key elements for defense. They allowed soldiers to see far and shoot at enemies. We looked at 347 such watchtowers, which were made by piling up earth on-site and maybe had extra small buildings as well. By checking historical records and using mapping tools, we found that watchtowers in different areas functioned differently. In the western part, which is mountainous, the Baiyu Mountains area, watchtowers are tall and close together, so they excel at defense. In the eastern part, which is flatter and more hilly, watchtowers are short and spread out, so they are not as good at defense. The middle section serves as a transition zone. The watchtowers there are of medium height, spread out moderately, and have middle-level defensive ability. Overall, this shows the Qin built defenses smartly, matching how watchtowers were set up to the land’s features.

Featured Image

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Most existing studies focus on Ming Dynasty Great Wall watchtowers, leaving gaps in pre-Ming research. This study fills this gap by using archaeological data and modern tools to conduct a quantitative analysis of 347 Qin watchtowers, clarifying their construction principles and defensive logic. It connects watchtower differences to historical contexts and attempts to study early Great Wall sections, offering new insights into ancient military geography and Qin defense strategies.

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