No one can believe that the over 6, 300-kilometre Great Wall might disappear some day. Believe it or not, the Great Wall is being destroyed by people. Less than 20 percent of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty is still perfect, and about 80 percent is in danger.
The Great Wall can be called "great" mostly because of its amazing length. If we do nothing to save the Great Wall, it will become wasteland rather than a historic site. The Great Wall is actually a series of walls built and rebuilt by different dynasties over the past 2, 000 years. It began in the Qin Dynasty, and lasted into the Ming Dynasty. The parts built before the Ming Dynasty have nearly disappeared. People are familiar with sections such as Badaling in Beijing and Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu, because they have been open to tourists for many years. But those sections far away from the public eyes have been almost forgotten.
Few local people knew the 3-metre-high walls made of earth and stones beside them are part of the Great Wall. The lack of knowledge is considered as one of the main reasons behind humans.
The bricks on the Great Wall are carried off by countryside people to build their houses. Rubbish is spread over the battlements. Those who destroyed and are destroying the Great Wall know its name, but don't know its cultural meaning. The local farmers not only carried off the body of the Great Wall but dug out the entire base.
It is necessary to protect the Great Wall. First of all, the officials should be aware of the importance of the Great Wall. Young Chinese should know more about the nation's great civilisation and learn to love it.