People of the Wall

Dynasties. Governments. Revolutions. Standing watch over China for all these hundreds of years, the Great Wall has seen it all.

While much of the Wall still stands today — especially the parts connecting the fortified towers that long defended the Ming capital, Beijing, from northern invaders — large sections are slowly being consumed by time and the elements. But in Hebei province, the once-neglected great dragon is slowly being restored to its former glory with the help of the locals who call the area home.

In the west end of Hebei, outside of the city of Zhangjiakou, Jimingyi is an old postal outpost town from the Great Wall's glory days as a fortress barrier. Jimingyi was built as a relay station for trade and as a rest stop for officials who were looking to inspect the wall.

At one point, Jimingyi was a prosperous walled town. Now, however, it is run down with portions of the wall falling apart. Over time, Jimingyi's history has faded from memory as its original inhabitants and their descendants were displaced and replaced.

But before the community's history disappeared completely in the sands of time, the sleepy city got a second chance.

Li Aimin, a 58-year-old historian and researcher, came across Jimingyi during a routine cultural artifact census. He talked with two China Daily reporters about the story of Jimingyi's restoration.

Videographer: Eric Jou

Video: Cong Ruiting

Subtitle: Huang Lan & Daisy

Producer: Flora Yue