The Great Wall, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987. Just like a gigantic dragon, it winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, stretching approximately 13,170 miles (21,196 kilometers) from east to west of China.
Emperor Qin Shihuang's contribution to the design of the Wall is considered to be of great importance as it ensured peace for the people in the northern part of China against the Huns and established a pattern of defense for future generations. The Great Wall of the Qin Dynasty was built at the expense of many lives.
he Great Wall of China, being one of the greatest engineering projects on earth, attracts more and more visitors from home and world each year. However, many visitors and local residents' bad behavior on the wall have brought a lot of severe problems. The wall is striving to live! Chinese government pays great attention to the wall's predicament and protection. On Sep. 20 of 2006, the State Council promulgated the regulation on the protection of the Great Wall, which went into effect on Dec.1 of the same year.
The following activities on the wall are forbidden:
1. Take away earth, bricks, stones and plant crops.
2. Vandalism and graffiti
3. Span or fix any establishment, fixtures, or equipment irrelevant to the Great Wall protection.
4. Drive or span over the wall using any vehicle.
5. Carry any items that may destroy the wall.
6. Organize activities on the sections that have not been developed into tourist areas.
7. Any other activities that are forbidden by laws and regulations on protection of cultural relics.
If you want to see the most popular and gorgeous restored section of the Wall in Beijing, go to Badaling Great Wall. Badaling is also wheelchair friendly , accessible by the handicapped.
It is better to hike the Wall during the weekdays instead of weekends. Strongly advise you not to visit the Wall during China public holidays ( Especially May 1-3, and October 1-7).On these special days you will waste much of your valuable time on the way from your hotel to the Wall. On the Wall, you have to take group photos since there are a great number of people on the Wall.
If you don’t have much time, but you still want to have a glimpse of the Wall, especially on a busy day, choose Juyongguan Great Wall.
In the last century, due to various environmental reasons and human activities, about one million square meters of land from Xinjiang to the Songneng Plains are changing from arable land into desert. This trend has extended past the Great Wall and spread to inside the passes. Also, large parts of the Great Wall's wall, beacon towers and watchtowers had been damaged or destroyed by the carelessness of men.
To preserve this architectural wonder and cultural heritage, many people suggest that China publicize the rich history of the Great Wall to the world and enact laws to protect it. Below are a number of steps that the Chinese government has taken and some suggestions for individuals to consider:
Measures taken by the Chinese Government to protect the Great Wall
Enact laws to protect the wall from further damage by men. Provide funds to be used for wall protection and preservation. What individuals can do to protect the Great Wall
Plant trees and remove trash to keep the areas fresh and clean. When visiting the Great Wall, do not leave behind anything besides your footsteps and take away nothing more than your memories.
