The Great Wall
This tapestry depicts the Great Wall of China, which is a well-known and ancient architectural marvel. It spans over the mountains from Jiayu Pass in Northwest China towards Shanhai Pass in the Northeast. It is known as “The Wall of Ten Thousand Li”, or The Wall of Ten Thousand Miles (“Li” is the Chinese equivalent of a mile). In 1987, the Great Wall was inducted as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The sunshine and rich forestry in the tapestry symbolizes the prosperity and vitality of China. The tapestry measures 10m by 5m and weighs 280 kilogrammes. It was created with over 53 million woolen yarns and over 5 million knots. It took 26 technicians and one year to complete.
The Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Qiao Guanhua, presented The Great Wall tapestry to the United Nations on behalf of his country on 07 October 1974. Ambassador Huang Hua of China was also present.
The gift was given to the United Nations to promote mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese people and people from other countries. Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim said the addition of the gift “will further enhance the beauty and the international character of the United Nations Headquarters”.