Conservation first

The Simatai section of the Great Wall is the only ancient architecture in China that retains the original form of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) fortifications. In the late 1980s, local authorities in Beijing began a conservation project there.

"As a child, I remember seeing horses ferrying construction materials and laborers digging up earth and bricks in the neighborhood," Zhou says. "It makes sense to me now; the Great Wall was being restored."

When he was 12, his school arranged for a spring outing at Simatai and Zhou set foot on the Great Wall for the first time. "I was thrilled. My parents would never allow me to scale the hills before because of the perilous road conditions. The restoration project helped my dream come true," he says.

In 2010, the local authorities teamed up with investors, including China Youth Travel Service, and developed Beijing Wtown to complement the charm of Simatai. The town sprawls over five villages tucked among hills and water bodies. It features traditional quadrangle courtyards on the slopes.

Zhou Jianhong, a senior marketing manager for Wtown, says they have been constantly juggling with ideas for a diverse development of the area. "One thing everyone knows for sure is that the upgrade has to revolve around the Great Wall culture," she says.

In 2015, an ambitious idea to explore night tours at the Great Wall was implemented. A total of 2,200 LED strip lights were installed to illuminate a length of 2,510 meters, studded with beacon towers.

"Given the special nature of the Great Wall, construction safety and integrity of the overall environment had to be ensured. Strict requirements were imposed on the selection of lights and the installation process," Zhou Jianhong says.

Illumination cables were fixed using natural rocks at least a meter away from the Great Wall. The original stones of the wall and the grass growing near it were not disturbed during the development around Simatai. Construction materials were transported manually, without mechanical aid.