Northwest China's Gansu Province spent 9.7 million yuan in 2006 to protect the remaining section of the Great Wall along its provincial border.

 

The Great Wall once zigzagged across Gansu. Historic records indicate the Qing Dynasty wall stretched over 600 km and the Han Dynasty Wall stretched over 2,000 km in Gansu Province.

 

Today, only 200 kilometers of the Qin Dynasty Wall and 600 kilometers of the Han Dynasty Wall are left.

 

As well as suffering damage from human activities, the ancient wall has been eroded by rain and wind. Archaeologists at the provincial research center report that large portions of the Great Wall have collapsed and the level of destruction is severe.

 

The province has funded a number of research groups investigating how to preserve the Great Wall since 2005. The conservation program has helped reinforce sections of the wall and more will be protected in the future.

 

(CRI November 21, 2006)