Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka: The Great Wall Developed A “Geometry of Heights”

The Great Wall is an epic architecture. It carries the memory of the Chinese nation and shines as a world cultural heritage. The construction work began in the 7th century BC and came to an end in the 17th century.

Standing towering for two thousand years, the Great Wall spreads across twenty thousand kilometers of broad, ancient and an endlessly vast territory of China.

On September 25, 1972, then Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka flew to Beijing, China.

His visit was of historic significance as it normalized the China-Japan diplomatic relations and turned a new page in bilateral relations.

[On September 29, 1972, the Chinese and Japanese governments issued the China-Japan Joint Communiqué]

In 1972, staff at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs jokingly characterized the routine of any overseas guest visiting Beijing includes three things: climbing the Great Wall, visiting the Forbidden City, and eating Peking roasted duck.

The architect-turned-prime minister of Japan was overwhelmed with admiration, for each and every brick of the Great Wall.

On the afternoon of September 27, 1972, the prime minister’s convoy arrived at the base of the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing, Beijing.

Kakuei Tanaka took to the Great Wall as soon as he got out of the car. Before coming to China, he specifically asked his wife to prepare him a suitable pair of shoes to climb the Great Wall, and he even tried them out by running two test runs around his courtyard.

The nearly 30-degree steep slope up the Great Wall is quite a test of physical strength. It didn’t take long before his entourage was left far behind.

The plan was to return after reaching the 3rd watchtower, but Kakuei Tanaka insisted on going further and made it to the 4th one.

Standing in the brisk air and embracing the autumn weather, Kakuei Tanaka gazed off into the distance from the 4th watchtower and said in awe, What a grand view! The ancient Chinese people developed a “geometry of heights” for future generations and made a great contribution to mankind!