By Year 5

Jin Shun is waking up at sunrise to start a painful day of work. He is a builder on the Great Wall of China. It was built to stop other tribes attacking.

Jin Shun stumbles to the Great Wall of China ready for another painful day of lifting heavy bricks.He’s been doing this every day for years and is already tired and miserable.

Jin Shun had to break up rocks and heave heavy bricks high above his head to other workers.Every day the bricks seemed to get heavier and heavier. He did this every day for three years.

Jin Shun hopes he doesn’t die. If he’s too slow in his work, the guard might kill him to scare the other workers into working faster.

Just plain rice flavourless rice cooked in dirty water! The 10 minutes are the only rest they get all day. The ground is rough and very uncomfortable to sit on.

Every day when Jin Shun goes to work he gets whipped by the guards if he doesn't do his work properly or if he slows down.

One of Jin Shun’s best friends plummets to his death! So many friends gone now.Jin Shun wonders when his turn will be.

The 16 hour day is finally over. Jin Shun is hungry and exhausted.The grief! The pain! And the same again for all his tomorrows. He’s sure he’ll be dead soon.