Yuxiang Ge
attach great importance to preserving the remains of the two Walls instead of knocking them down. Boundary as Distinction
My interpretation of this phenomenon was: in addition to historical and cultural value, the Great Wall and the Berlin Wall represented something else: boundary as distinction. Without boundary lines, human society would not have been so amazingly diverse. Both sides of the Wall benefited from the peace maintained by a boundary in physical form while both benefiting from the economic prosperity and retaining separate characteristics. The Great Wall was a boundary, but was never a barrier that prevented cultural and economic exchange. “Through the reigns of all the dynasties, official and civilian fairs were held along the wall” and “salt, tea, cotton and silk fabrics and tools from inside the [Great] wall were exchanged for cattle, sheep, horses and woolens from the other side, and business was brisk.” 3
The New Boundary: A Shrinking Planet & Growing Demands
The Great Wall and the Berlin Wall are becoming the top choice for tourists, especially for international tourists who know little about China’s and Germany’s history. Undoubtedly in the context of globalization, the states are increasingly connected and the globe is rapidly shrinking. Nevertheless, the boundary never fades away, but leads to geopolitical changes. Take Asia-Pacific as an example. The combination of stunning economic growth and 3
P 20 Paul Ganster &David E.Lorey, Borders and Border Politics in A Globalization World (Oxford: SR Books, 2003)
2
Global Initiatives Symposium in Taiwan 2009