Village steps up for Great Wall mission

Residents protect iconic structure and cater to growing number of visitors, Cheng Yuezhu reports.

The Great Wall, stretching across vast swathes of time and geography, is regarded as a wonder of the world. While standing as a testimony to China's profound history, the winding walls still carry with them stories of the ordinary with a touch of warmth.

Just a 30-minute drive away from its famed Badaling section lies a small village held by the Great Wall in its embrace. Surrounded by the walls on three sides, Shixia village used to be a military stronghold, first established in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

For the villagers, the Great Wall is not a must-visit destination in a lifetime but an everyday sight — they can raise their heads from almost anywhere in the village and see the Great Wall meandering its way along the mountain ridges.

The village features simple and modest buildings with an antique flair, typically single-story with gray brick walls. Yet, these buildings serve various functions that cater to those seeking diverse experiences, including a village history museum, hotels, a brewery, a cafe and a bookshop.

According to Li Handong, director of the village committee, the people of Shixia village have been committed to protecting its section of the Great Wall, and its development and prosperity were made possible by this heritage.

Earlier this year, Li and nine other village representatives wrote a letter to President Xi Jinping, in which they told of their love of the Great Wall, and the village's transformation from an impoverished hamlet to a countryside getaway.

On May 14, they received a reply from Xi, applauding their effort in safeguarding the Great Wall, passing on its culture and leveraging its resources to achieve prosperity.

The president underscored the Great Wall's role as "a symbol of the Chinese nation and an important emblem of Chinese civilization", embodying the spirit of unyielding perseverance and patriotic unity, while encouraging its guardians to pass down "this precious heritage left by our ancestors for generations to come".

Liu Hongyan, a village representative and a dedicated Great Wall protector, says that she and other villagers were overjoyed by the reply, feeling immense pride. In the meantime, reflecting on her role as a protector, she also felt the weight of responsibility.

"We were all thrilled to receive the response. Shixia is just a small, remote mountain village, so I never thought that the president would attach importance to our village, and the work we've done to preserve the Great Wall. It's an encouragement for me and I'll continue to protect the Great Wall and protect my homeland," Liu says.