“Bu dao Changcheng fei hao han” — “He who has not been to the Great Wall is not a true man.” This single sentence, written by Mao Zedong in 1935, transformed the cultural meaning of the Great Wall.
The Original Context
Mao wrote these words not as a tourism slogan, but as part of a poem commemorating the Long March — the 8,000-kilometer retreat of the Red Army through some of China’s most hostile terrain. The “Great Wall” in the poem was metaphorical: it represented the challenges that tested revolutionary resolve.
From Feudal Relic to National Symbol
Before the 20th century, the Great Wall was not a source of Chinese pride. Early Republic intellectuals like Lu Xun dismissed it as a monument to feudal tyranny and the suffering of conscripted laborers. It was Mao’s government that rehabilitated the wall as a symbol of Chinese resilience and national unity.
Badacling as Pilgrimage
In 1957, Badaling became the first section of the wall opened for tourism. The stone tablet bearing Mao’s quote was placed at the summit, transforming a casual visit into a patriotic pilgrimage. Today, the quote is inscribed on Great Wall souvenirs, postcards, and even the Chinese passport.