A survey team was stunned when they saw a 14-meter-long breach
at an undeveloped section of the Great Wall in northern China's Hebei
Province.
The breach, along with two newly repaired ramparts, is part of
the planned Hongyu Villa project by Qian'an city and Qinglong
Manchu Autonomous County of the province.
The Great Wall at Hongyukou section dates back to the imperial
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
The age-old big, solid bricks removed from the Great Wall
rampart were put aside while the inscriptions and stone cannons
formerly preserved in the wall, had disappeared, according to the
inspection team.
An investigation showed that the project was unauthorized by any
cultural relic departments, and the work unit was not qualified for
any construction on ancient buildings.
But in accordance with the relevant regulations on cultural
relics protection, any works related to the Great Wall should be
reported to the State Bureau of Cultural Relics for approval.
Further investigation on the illegal construction is
underway.
Immense construction work on the world-famous Great Wall began
back in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the final structure
stretches from the Shahaiguan pass of Hebei province in the east to
the Jiayuguan pass in Gansu province in the northwestern
desert.
(China Daily December 18, 2003)