Great Wall of China Needs Restoration
Desertification, Erosion, Tourists and Vandals Harm Historic Site
Sep 11, 2008
Both government and non-government agencies, as well as individuals, are working to restore and preserve the Great Wall in a country where part of the growing human population sees it an a source of shelter and building materials.
History of the Great Wall of China
Records indicate that the Great Wall was begun during the mid 600s BC. The Great Wall, actually a series of walls, was built over the course of several centuries. Chinese emperors of the Qin, Han, and Ming dynasties used the walls as part of a defense system to keep the nomadic Mongols out of their agricultural lands.
Although it did not succeed in keeping the Mongols out, the Ming dynasty managed to connect most of the fortressed walls into what is now known as the Great Wall of China.
Threats to China’s Great Wall
Desertification has already obliterated some sections of the wall in Ning Xia. Some of this damage is a natural result of the shifting of sand during storms but climate change, agricultural water use and overgrazing have hastened the expansion of the desert. Flash flooding, a result of the lack of vegetation, has also gouged out the base of sections of the Great Wall.
Along the length of the wall, road-building projects have blasted through the structure and other industries have developed in such close proximity to the wall that their pollutant by-products have eroded sections of the wall.
Vandals, litter and graffiti artists have damaged the Great Wall as well. Pieces have been taken away for souvenirs and for construction or reinforcement of nearby buildings. Names and slogans are etched into the wall and its guard towers.
Even positive promotion of the Great Wall takes a toll. A fashion show using the wall as a runway and the proposed marathon to be held in 2009, each intended to bring attention to the wall, have the potential to add to the disintegration of the eroded Great Wall walkways.
Protection and Restoration of the Great Wall
The cultural and historical value of the wall is generally acknowledged and efforts are underway to turn things around. The first problem is that not enough is known about the wall. How long the Great Wall really was is question number one. The Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center and the Chinese government have begun a ten-year project to find that out.
In addition, local organizations and individuals are working to increase protection for sections of the Great Wall. Early stage restoration efforts have begun on some parts of the wall.
Promotional events, despite having the potential to add to the damage, could become a source for funding of, and interest in, the restoration of the wall. For example, a portion of proceeds from such events could be used to restore or maintain the sections used in the event.
It is unlikely that the entire Great Wall of China will be restored. There are too many other demands for some of the real estate it sits on. But China will be using GPS and modern research technology to construct a better picture of what it was in order to better protect the Great Wall and accurately restore the remaining portions.
Learn about another of China's historic sites which is home to the Terra Cotta Warriors here.
