Credits
PRESENTER Derek Morris
PRODUCER Speranta TV
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Andrei Badulescu
GRAPHICS/ANIMATION Andrei Badulescu/3D BADU Cristiana Apostol/Cinesound Europe
ILLUSTRATOR Cristian Ion
SOUND DESIGN Valentin Bogdan
MUSIC Gabriel Brasov
TEXT Lucian Cristescu
EDITED TEXT Derek Morris, Cristina Moisan
DIRECTOR Attila Peli
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SPECIAL THANKS Andreea Paun, Irina Anghel, Florin Ghetu, Aritina Barbulescu, Cristian Magura, Cristina Cuncea, Mihai Bolonyi, Costin Banica, Petrica Cristescu, AnaMaria Lupu, Dorin Aiteanu
COPYRIGHT SPERANTA TV 2019
Transcript
Few things in the world teach us more about the human spirit than the Great Wall of China. It stretches for thousands of miles from Xianjang, in northern China, along the Mongolian border, to the Korean peninsula. Its height averages around 20-23 feet and its average width is about 20 feet at the base, narrowing to 15 feet at the top of the Great Wall. Its construction took over two millenia. More than a million people: armies of soldiers, prisoners, and simple peasants labored to construct it. The estimated cost in lives is 400,000. Chronicles record their bones were embedded in the Wall, turning it into the longest cemetery in the world.
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In spite of its formidable size, the Great Wall proved to be of no use. It has been breached by enemies countless times. But not by climbing over it or breaking it down but by a much simpler way: bribing the gatekeepers with a few gold coins. In 1644, General Wu Sangui himself, who was in charge to guard it, opened the gate for the Manciurian invaders, bringing an end to the Ming Dynasty.
The history of the Great Wall teaches us some important lessons. Firstly, it teaches us that the cause of the world’s deterioration is not external but internal. Breaking down a huge stone wall requires a lot of effort. Corrupting a guard is easy—you only need a few coins.
Secondly, we are afraid of strangers, of people that we do not know. We keep our guard up anticipating their attacks, while we continue to be surprised by the blows coming from our friends, people to whom we have opened our hearts.
Thirdly, it seems impossible to accept that the enemy is right here, inside of us. It takes courage to admit the true enemy, that lives in the shadows, is hidden in us.
We begin our lives with great plans and high expectations … but we find ourselves betraying them. We surprise ourselves betraying our beliefs, love, values, expectations, most of the time in exchange of a few coins, just like the unfaithful guards of the Great Wall.
