The Great Wall was developed over several Dynasties, starting with the Qin dynasty in the 200BCs. Part of the purpose of this structure was to preserve Chinese culture from invading forces. This goes to show that even at its conception, the Great Wall had the purpose of preserving the existing legacy of the culture as a whole before the structure was even considered ancient.
The Ming Dynasty, which lasted into the 1600s, added the most to the wall. Here, it also served the purpose of defending from invaders with Chinas ever expanding borders. For these people, the Wall was mostly about strategy and preserving the old culture, but as time went on, the idea of remembering the men who made these structures possible became more prevalent.
In the 1950s, the Wall had mostly fallen into disrepair. This site was important enough to Chinese culture that it was repaired over several years purely for the sake of being remembered. The Wall still remains an active military base, but that is no longer its sole purpose. Every year, thousands of people come to see this great structure and learn about the history of the people who made it. No other creature on the face of the earth cares about what is left of them after they are gone, or how their ancestors are remembered for what they left, but humanity is willing to put years of work and tons of resources into remembering our history and creating something that shows off both the people and the culture behind our actions. From a strategic structure to a memory of the past, the Great Wall has remained important to the Chinese people as a symbol of both their culture, and the men who made it.