China cracks down on Great Wall brick thieves

By Clara Lindh, for CNN
2 minute read
Published 1:06 AM EDT, Fri July 29, 2016
For hiking and photography enthusiasts, there is no better place on the Great Wall of China than the dramatic and difficult Jiankou section, says CNN cameraman Brad Olson. Located about 90 km from Beijing, the Ming Dynasty relic is best entered from the north through the village of Xizhazi in Beijing's Huairou District. As the section is about 9 miles (18 km) long with rugged terrain, Olsen covered it over four visits, once during each season.
The Great Wall: Jiankou —
For hiking and photography enthusiasts, there is no better place on the Great Wall of China than the dramatic and difficult Jiankou section, says CNN cameraman Brad Olson. Located about 90 km from Beijing, the Ming Dynasty relic is best entered from the north through the village of Xizhazi in Beijing's Huairou District. As the section is about 9 miles (18 km) long with rugged terrain, Olsen covered it over four visits, once during each season.
Brad Olson/CNN
Spring. A former watchtower, the Nine-eyed Tower is the largest of its kind on the wall.
The Great Wall: Jiankou —
Spring. A former watchtower, the Nine-eyed Tower is the largest of its kind on the wall.
Brad Olson/CNN
Soldiers' barracks are located nearby, behind the tower.
The Great Wall: Jiankou —
Soldiers' barracks are located nearby, behind the tower.
Brad Olson/CNN
Summer. An ancient pine tree stands by Beijing Jie (Beijing Knot), where three sections of the wall meet. A difficult place to get to, getting down is even harder, Olson says.
The Great Wall: Jiankou —
Summer. An ancient pine tree stands by Beijing Jie (Beijing Knot), where three sections of the wall meet. A difficult place to get to, getting down is even harder, Olson says.
Brad Olson/CNN
Autumn. The foliage shows off its best colors around the General's Tower, although pollution can still create hazy conditions.
The Great Wall: Jiankou —
Autumn. The foliage shows off its best colors around the General's Tower, although pollution can still create hazy conditions.
Brad Olson/CNN
Although the wall has not been maintained for the last 450 years or so, the bricks and mortar dating from the Ming Dynasty are in surprisingly good condition, Olson says.
The Great Wall: Jiankou —
Although the wall has not been maintained for the last 450 years or so, the bricks and mortar dating from the Ming Dynasty are in surprisingly good condition, Olson says.
Brad Olson/CNN
Winter. Only a few hardy souls visit the wall during the cold months.
The Great Wall: Jiankou —
Winter. Only a few hardy souls visit the wall during the cold months.
Brad Olson/CNN
The middle section of Jiankou is built into a jagged rock wall. It is passable, but there is a risk of falling off the wall. Olson recommends hiring a local guide in Xizhazi village.
The Great Wall: Jiankou —
The middle section of Jiankou is built into a jagged rock wall. It is passable, but there is a risk of falling off the wall. Olson recommends hiring a local guide in Xizhazi village.
Brad Olson/CNN
Photographing the Great Wall

Story highlights

Less than 10% of the 21,000 km Great Wall is in good condition

China launches campaign to prevent theft of bricks

CNN  — 

The Great Wall is disappearing, brick by brick, and Chinese authorities have had enough.

A new campaign has been launched to protect the ancient fortification that snakes for 13,000 miles (21,000 kilometers) across northern China from criminal damage.

Built in different stages from the third century B.C. to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the wall was built to defend an empire but parts of it are now crumbling.

Bricks have been stolen to build houses, for agriculture or to sell as souvenirs to tourists – exacerbating the natural erosion wrought by wind, rain and sandstorms.

‘One third’ of Great Wall disappears

Snow blankets the Great Wall at twilight near Beijing, China on November 23, 2015.
Snow blankets the Great Wall at twilight near Beijing, China on November 23, 2015.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Smiling, a Chinese tourist takes a break as she works her way through a slippery section of ice on the Great Wall near Beijing on November 23.
Smiling, a Chinese tourist takes a break as she works her way through a slippery section of ice on the Great Wall near Beijing on November 23.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
For some tourists taking on the snow-clad Great Wall near Beijing on November 23, the snow seemed more of a trial than a welcome treat.
For some tourists taking on the snow-clad Great Wall near Beijing on November 23, the snow seemed more of a trial than a welcome treat.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Tourists cautiously climb the slippery steps of the Great Wall after an early-season snowfall on November 23 near Beijing.
Tourists cautiously climb the slippery steps of the Great Wall after an early-season snowfall on November 23 near Beijing.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Snow is seen on the Great Wall after a snowfall on November 23 near Beijing, China.
Snow is seen on the Great Wall after a snowfall on November 23 near Beijing, China.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Staying warm in retro fur hats bearing the communist red star, visitors take on a steep and snowy section of the Great Wall near Beijing on November 23.
Staying warm in retro fur hats bearing the communist red star, visitors take on a steep and snowy section of the Great Wall near Beijing on November 23.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
The sun lights up the otherwise blue overtones of the Great Wall and landscape blanketed in snow near Beijing on November 23.
The sun lights up the otherwise blue overtones of the Great Wall and landscape blanketed in snow near Beijing on November 23.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Snow starts to melt while the moon rises over the Great Wall near Beijing on November 23.
Snow starts to melt while the moon rises over the Great Wall near Beijing on November 23.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Snowy and scenic, the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall near Beijing is pictured on November 22, 2015.
Snowy and scenic, the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall near Beijing is pictured on November 22, 2015.
Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
A Chinese tourist poses on a slippery section of ice as snow is seen on the Great Wall on November 23 near Beijing, China.
A Chinese tourist poses on a slippery section of ice as snow is seen on the Great Wall on November 23 near Beijing, China.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Great Wall of China looks amazing in early snow

The crackdown will include spots checks, regular inspections and a hotline to allow members of the public to report damage, official news agency Xinhua reported.

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) first outlined the new regulations earlier this year but the issue has been in the headlines after a video of a man kicking and vandalizing the wall went viral on Chinese social media last week.

Many China visitors associate the Great Wall with an extensively restored stretch of Ming era wall at Badaling near Beijing, but this is far from typical of most of the structure.

According to official statistics, around 30% of the Ming Dynasty section of the wall has already disappeared and less than 10% is considered well preserved.

“The Great Wall is a vast heritage site – over 20,000 kilometers – hence increasing the difficulty in preservation and restoration,” Dong Yaohui, deputy director of the Great Wall of China Society, told CNN last year.

How to explore China’s other Great Wall

Beijing intern Hangda Zhang contributed to this report