Near, yet far from the madding crowds

The Great Wall, Hebei

The Great Wall is among the top draws for any first-time visitor to Beijing, but most sections of the Great Wall near the capital city have been restored many times. Sometimes, it is hard to tell how they would have originally looked in the early Ming Dynasty.

If you want to see what the Great Wall would have looked like then, you should go about 100 kilometers west of Beijing to Huailai county for Yangbian Great Wall.

This 3-km section of the wall was constructed in the early years of Ming Dynasty, as a model for construction of the Great Wall elsewhere.

And, I realized the Great Wall is not necessarily built of bricks when I came here. Yangbian Great Wall was constructed by piling up big stones, which remain interlocked after more than 600 years, although the section is located in the wilderness and has hardly been renovated.

Time is eroding it, however. Locals told me that the stones are being worn away every day, although measures are being taken to prevent collapse.

I can't help but think that since the Great Wall has been a witness to the vicissitudes of China over the centuries, perhaps, it's better to let time take its toll rather than give it a brand-new facade after renovation.