China's Great Wall damaged by workers looking for shortcut

Construction workers in central Shanxi province have caused severe damage to a segment of China’s Great Wall. They utilized an excavator to breach the wall, with suspicions that they were attempting to create a shortcut for their construction project. Both individuals involved, a 38-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman, have been detained as the case undergoes further investigation.

The damaged section, the 32nd Great Wall, is part of the Ming Great Wall and is recognized as a provincial-level protected historical and cultural site located in Youyu county. The breach, characterized as a “big gap,” was created by widening an existing cavity in the Great Wall, allowing their excavator to pass through. Their motivation was to reduce the distance they needed to travel for their work.

This reckless act has resulted in “irreversible damage to the integrity of the Ming Great Wall and to the safety of the cultural relics,” as emphasized by the police. Authorities were alerted to the damage on August 24th when reports of the significant gap in the wall surfaced.

The Great Wall, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987, was constructed and reconstructed over centuries, reaching its zenith during the Ming Dynasty. While well-known segments of the Great Wall boast beautifully crafted structures with ancient watchtowers, other sections have deteriorated or vanished entirely. A 2016 report indicated that more than 30% of the Ming Great Wall had disappeared, with only 8% considered well preserved.

The motivations behind such destruction can be attributed to various factors, including the historical structure’s varying states of disrepair and its remote locations. The Great Wall, spanning vast expanses of northern China, encompasses both ancient rammed earth walls and mounds that are no longer immediately recognizable as part of the Great Wall.

Much of the degradation of the wall is due to local farmers pilfering bricks or stones for constructing homes or animal enclosures. In recent times, the government has intensified efforts to preserve the Great Wall, leading to significant consequences for individuals responsible for its destruction.

While such actions may not be entirely uncommon in China, the public, both in China and globally, remains deeply disturbed by the destruction of this historically and culturally significant structure, given its immense importance not only to China but to all of humanity.