It was built to withstand hordes of Mongolian warriors and lasted for centuries, but a stretch of the Great Wall has finally been overrun – by Chinese officials who paved smooth concrete over the battle-scared structure to create what looks like an elevated pathway.
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The five mile section of wall, built during the Ming Dynasty in 1381 in Liaoning’s Suizhong county, was officially restored to prevent deterioration caused by the elements.
It is rarely seen by the public as this section is located in a remote part with lofty hills in northeast Liaoning province, but is often referred to as the most lovely “wild” Great Wall section.
Besides the aesthetic damage, Ye also said the repaired Great Wall is now not only smooth but also slippery.
The restoration work on the Xiaohekou Great Wall started in 2014.
“My clients have also complained”, she told Time.
He added that officials in charge of the restoration went to inspect the Xiaohekou Great Wall after online criticism.
He was quoted by the Beijing News as saying the work was completed over three months as part of a government restoration plan.
The bureau also said it would be incorrect to say that the “most lovely and wild section of the Great Wall has been smoothed out by cement”, criticising netizens for not understanding the craftsmanship of restoration work.
The Great Wall of China has been covered with cement over a 5-mile stretch after orders from Suizhong county’s Cultural Relics Bureau for what is being called a very ugly fix job.
As part of the restorations work, a load of cement was dumped on the wall, leaving a white trail that covered up the original features of the iconic monument.
“Only the original materials should be used for restoring the Great Wall”. The photos shocked the Internet with many expressing regrets or saying “it is even worse than damaging the Wall”.
He noted that the convenience of tourists should not be a factor in the restoration work.
Meanwhile, CNN questioned whether this could be the ‘World’s Worst Restoration, ‘ reporting that the hashtag “The most lovely, wild Great Wall flattened” had been trending on Weibo.
The campaign is led by the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation which has said the wall is in great need of fix. “The damage would be irreversible”.
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The Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage has invested 367 million yuan since 2000 to restore the Great Wall.
