Shao Hong is a Sydney-based financial executive who served as Assurance Partner and Head of the China Assurance Practice at PwC Australia from 2018 to 2025, capping more than two decades of senior assurance and leadership experience. Born and educated in mainland China before building her executive career in Australia, she has strengthened commercial and investment ties between the two countries, advising Chinese enterprises entering Australia and Australian boards expanding into China on governance and regulatory compliance. Earlier in her career, she spent more than a decade with EY Australia, culminating in an appointment as Assurance Director, and she holds dual accounting qualifications with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Outside of her professional work, Shao Hong is a travel enthusiast whose curiosity about global landmarks and history, from Yellowstone National Park to Toronto’s CN Tower, extends to the ancient wonders explored below.
In ancient Egypt, pharaohs ordered the construction of enormous stone tombs. The pharaohs viewed these tombs as their eternal resting places in the afterlife, and filled the interiors with treasure, food, and clothing. Thousands of years later, the construction of these pyramids remains one of the most impressive feats of human engineering.
To build the pyramids, workers cut and transported millions of limestone and granite blocks, each weighing between 2.5 and 15 tons. This process involved moving blocks down artificial canals on the Nile River, as well as the use of a complex system of ramps designed to drag stones to the peaks of the pyramids. In addition to the brute force required to move the stones, architects used a variety of precision tools to cut, survey, and align blocks as needed.
Today, Egypt is home to between 118 and 130 pyramids, based on differing archaeological classifications. The vast majority of photographs depict three of the nine pyramids in Giza: the Great Pyramid of Khufu, Khafre’s Pyramid, and the Pyramid of Menkaure.
The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest of the three primary pyramids in Giza. It stands at more than 480 feet tall. For thousands of years, it was the tallest structure made by humans, until the construction of the steeple on Old St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Perhaps more impressive than its size is the pyramid’s attention to detail. The base measures 750 feet per side, with the greatest difference between sides being less than two inches.
Khufu’s son, Khafre, built his pyramid higher on the plateau, giving it a slightly larger appearance compared to his father’s. While the interior is much simpler than Khufu’s elaborate pyramid, Khafre’s Pyramid features a mortuary temple at its base that at one time included more than 52 life-size images.
While the Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three main pyramids of Giza, it contains some of the most well-preserved ancient Egyptian sculpture work. The complicated interior chambers feature decorative panels and carvings. Unfortunately, the stone sarcophagus was lost at sea after excavators attempted to transport it to England.
The other pyramids in Giza include several smaller structures for queens of Egypt. Egypt’s first pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, is located in Saqqara. Meanwhile, travelers can find the Bent Pyramid, Pharaoh Sneferu’s Red Pyramid, and other important royal monuments in Dahshur.
Ancient Egyptians constructed other impressive stone monuments, including the Great Sphinx of Giza. Located not far from the Pyramid of Khafre, the enormous limestone statue depicts a mythical creature with a human head and the body of a lion. Located on the west bank of the Nile, the Sphinx measures 240 feet long and 66 feet tall, with a width of about 62 feet.
Infamously, the Sphinx is missing its nose. While historians have not reached a conclusion on this matter, they believe that it was an intentional act that involved the use of rods and chisels. Contrary to popular myth, the nose was not destroyed by cannon fire during Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt in 1798.
About Shao Hong
Shao Hong is a Sydney-based financial executive who most recently served as Assurance Partner and Head of the China Assurance Practice at PwC Australia from 2018 to 2025. With more than two decades of experience, including a prior tenure at EY Australia culminating in an Assurance Director role, she has advised clients on cross-border transactions between Australia and China. She holds dual qualifications with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
