Section of the Great Wall has been cemented, Chinese officials confirms

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) held a press conference on Tuesday confirming that a section of the Great Wall was paved over with cement back in 2014.

An investigation was launched after a 780-meter-long section of the Great Wall was seen paved over using cement, which sparked public outrage. The section is located in China’s northeastern province of Liaoning and is commonly regarded as the “most beautiful” part of the wall, previously a hot tourist attraction.

Though photos of the “renovation” didn’t go viral until recently, local villagers have reportedly said visitor numbers have declined since completion.

The SACH has instructed Liaoning’s cultural office to reorganize a group of experts to look into the issue and submit another report, as the initial submission for approval was reportedly incomplete and not up to standard.

As for why cement was used, the Liaoning cultural office explained that a group of specialists brought up using new material. Cement appeared to offer a quick and reliable solution to maintaining this ancient section of the wall. However, not enough experimental work had been done and it influenced the wall’s appearance.

SACH officials have noted that while this issue is significant and will have consequences, officials must learn from the mishap. Officials must work to find the root of the mistake and strengthen oversight in order to prevent something like this from happening again.