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Great Wall Protection

 Shandan Great Wall in Danger
-- TCG Survey Group to Great Wall in Shandan County, Gansu Province

In July 2009, TravelChinaGuide (abbr. TCG) sent a survey group to investigate the Great Wall situation in Shandan County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province. This is our second visit to the Great Wall located in that place after 2002. We found the situation of the Great Wall is not optimistic. Compared to the wall pictures taken in 2002, many sections have become shorter, smaller or disappeared. The Great Wall is in danger!
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Deserted Great Wall in Shaanxi
Deserted Great Wall in Shaanxi
Mention of the Great Wall of China evokes an image of a huge dragon flying freely on beautiful mountains. Unfortunately, this great image exists only in the well-protected Great Wall scenic areas, such as the Badaling Great Wall, Mutianyu Great Wall, and Simatai Great Wall. Most other sections lie broken in remote vast grasslands and boundless deserts, exposed to thousands of years of rains, snows and winds. Many were swallowed by sand before becoming known to the world. The matter of protecting the Great Wall cannot be delayed.

The Great Wall, owing to its huge bulk, long length and variant construction materials, is difficult to protect well compared to other relics which can be kept in museums. Besides natural disasters such as storms and earthquakes, the wall also suffers from human sabotage. There are four primary types of man-made sabotages. The first is the taking of bricks, earth and stones from the wall for constructional materials. The second is modern construction (such as the highway building) that develops at the price of damaging the wall.
Great Wall bricks are taken to build stockyard.
Great Wall bricks are taken
to build stockyard.
The third is damage  caused by tourism access development. In recent years, people have learned the importance of wall protection. Since they innocently repair the wall according to their own imagination without concern for its historical appearance, this is also considered a kind of damage.

Being one of the world cultural and natural heritages, the Great Wall of China, belongs to the world, so everyone has the responsibility to protect it. Visitors should behave themselves on the wall, never defacing the bricks, never moving the bricks and never throwing litter about. People who live near the wall should not take bricks, stones and earth from the wall to build their own houses, or dig in the wall for sheepfolds or latrines. Officials should complete and enforce relevant regulations and laws. In September of 2006, the State Council promulgated the regulation on the protection of the Great Wall which went into effect on December 1 of the same year.

 Great Wall Protection:
Great Wall Protection Regulation
Current Situation of Great Wall
Great Wall Protection Stories:
Learn from Zhang Heshan        Lindsay's Affection        Shandan Great Wall in Danger

Travelers' Voices on Great Wall Protection

1.

Oct. 27,2009 16:58 Reply

Mrs.ahh-mazing(usa) said:

hey can you help What percent of the great wall still remains in good condition???

Oct. 28,2009 01:03
Mr.Leo replied:

About one third.

2.

Oct. 27,2009 17:21 Reply

Mrs.aswesome!(:(CHINA) said:

what is the precentage of the great wall still in good condition

Oct. 28,2009 01:03
Mr.Rick replied:

One third.

3.

Oct. 26,2009 08:32 Reply

Ms.girl(USA) said:

what is the restriction on the construction of new buildings nnear the great wall

Oct. 26,2009 20:15
Mr.Walle replied:

The new buildings should be built by keeping a distance from the wall.

4.

May. 11,2009 08:54 Reply

Mr.JAS(USA) said:

And who was the one to walk across it?

May. 11,2009 20:28
Mr.Bud replied:

I know William Lindsay, you can read his story in this page: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/wallprotection/story/william-lindsay/

Oct. 25,2009 20:51
Mrs.SAYWHAT(Germany) replied:

WILLIAM LINDSAY

5.

Oct. 1,2009 16:05 Reply

Ms.ANSWER(USA) said:

I know that people in China used the Great wall for protecting their boarders in earlier times, but what do people use the Great wall for TODAY?!?

Oct. 8,2009 21:31
Mr.CD replied:

No wars anymore, but people kept it for tourism and remembrance.

6.

Jul. 8,2009 02:15 Reply

Ms.Sheehan(australia) said:

What is the Great wall of china made out of?

Jul. 8,2009 03:40
Ms.Sarah replied:

The China Great Wall was made out of bricks, stones, and adhesives in the mountains. In the desert or grassland, it is made out of the local plants and earth.

7.

Jun. 26,2009 20:53 Reply

Mr.Men(America) said:

Who is the great wall protecting the chinese from?

Jun. 27,2009 20:08
Mr.Craig replied:

The Great Wall of China was built to protect the people living to the south of the wall from being attacked by the northern nomadic tribes.

8.

Jun. 8,2009 22:26 Reply

Mr.Boyden(Australia) said:

give me an answer!!!!!
Who protects the Great wall of China?
Give me just the name

Jun. 9,2009 04:48
Mr.ANSWER replied:

The China Great Wall is protected by Chinese people and all the visitors to it! Not a single person.

9.

Feb. 25,2009 12:24 Reply

Mr.me(wa) said:

how was the frist person to go over the wall

Apr. 29,2009 19:56
Mr.Smart(smart) replied:

His name was Kaisho Daimashito he was an architect but he wasn't Chinese he was a japanese. He was the first to go OVER the wall but not walk across it

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