Brick by brick

With a helmet, a climbing stick and a camera, 64-year-old Great Wall repairer Cheng Yongmao, under the scorching sun, climbed up the Jiankou Great Wall with a history of more than 400 years.

In the summer, hidden in range upon range of green hills, it is magnificent for its winding shape that looks like a bow and arrow, and some of the damaged walls exude a sense of vicissitudes. But Cheng had no time to appreciate the scenery.

Despite being listed as one of China's most important cultural heritage site, this section of the Great Wall has been severely damaged by natural erosion and human impact over the years, which is in dire need of maintenance.

The COVID-19 epidemic had put the repair work on the 1,094-meter-long Jiankou section on hiatus for nearly three months. Now, Cheng is working against the clock to meet the deadline by the end of this year without compromising quality.

Starting from the lowest point "Jiankou", Cheng stepped over the potholes of the bricks, over the high cliffs, all the way to the southeast for more than 1,000 meters, until the watchtower "Zhengbei" at an altitude of 990 meters.