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Million Whys
Why did Ming Nanjing's city wall take a lopsided gourd shape instead of the square form Chinese capitals had used for roughly 2,000 years?
It was drawn around mountains, rivers, and lakes so the terrain itself became the first line of defense
It drifted away from the original square plan through centuries of repairs and additions
The gourd shape was chosen as a symbolic talisman for the emperor's protection
