Construction crew causes 'irreversible' damage to Great Wall of China by digging shortcut

A shortcut landed two Chinese workers in big trouble after they allegedly dug a large hole through the Great Wall of China with an excavator, causing ‘irreversible’ damage to the historical site. According to the New York Post, the duo was apprehended for opening a gap that they could pass through while working.

Discovered last month, the damage was caused to an area known as the 32nd Great Wall. The section is one of the few that date back to the Ming Dynasty from 1368 to 1644, as per local media reports. However, officials have said that heavy machinery was used to dig the shortcut in the section. 

The damage at the UNESCO World Heritage Site is beyond repair, and a 38-year-old man with the surname Zheng and a 55-year-old woman with the last name Wang are behind it. China Daily reported that the two construction workers were subsequently charged with the destruction of a cultural relic.

The Shanxi Cultural Relics Bureau noted that the digging created ‘irreversible’ damage to the safety and strength of that portion of the 13,000-mile span. The recent incident is worrisome for China and its historical wall, which has already endured its fair share of damage in recent years. 

All you need to know about the Great Wall of China

Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987, the construction of the Great Wall of China began from circa 220 BC until the Ming Dynasty in the 1600s. In the modern day, much of what tourists can see was built during the dynasty, thus earning the alternate name of the Ming Great Wall.

Some parts of the wall, especially those in rural regions, have been destroyed or damaged over the years. In a 2016 report, the Beijing Times said that more than 30% of the Ming Great Wall had entirely disappeared, while only 8% of it had been preserved from wear and tear.