Beijing brings in social capital to repair the Great Wall

The repairs of a section of around 750 meters on the Great Wall will start in May, according to authorities of Huairou District in Beijing. This will be the first time that Beijing introduces social capital in repairing the Great Wall. The section, named "Jiankou (taut bow)," is expected to be open during the period of the 13th Five-Year Plan.

The Jiankou Great Wall is located about 30 kilometers northwest to the downtown of Huairou District. The Jiankou section is one of the most dangerous parts of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, and is named after its W-shaped structure. This section has been a hotspot for photographers.

This year's repair work will take place from the No. 151 North Tower to the No. 154 Enemy Rampart, according to Guo Dapeng, deputy director of the Cultural Commission of Huairou District. The said section stretches about 750 meters, contains four towers and ramparts, and has been frequented by backpackers from Beijing. There are 11 unique scenic spots on the Jiankou section, with names such as the "eagle flying belly up" to the "Beijing knot."

The Jiankou Great Wall has been inflicted by natural erosion and vandalism, which have left the towers and ramparts cracked and collapsed, the inner surfaces weedy, and the walls tattered or even ruptured. In 2016, the China Foundation For Cultural Heritage Conservation launched a public fundraising to protect the Great Wall, and received 10 million yuan (US$1.55 million) from the Tencent Charity Foundation for the repairs from No. 151-North Tower to No. 154-Enemy Rampart of the Jiankou section of the Great Wall.

Guo said that although the Great Wall is largely maintained by government grants, the new repair fund was donated entirely by concerned netizens. The fundraising was organized to draw more social attention to the history and protection of the Great Wall.

The use of the repair fund will be entirely transparent, according to the organizers, and there may be further fundraising based on the progress of the repair. The construction sites will be open to the donors to visit and inspect.