A survey team was stunned when they saw a 14-meter-long breach at an undeveloped section of the Great Wall in northern China's Hebei Province.

The breach, along with two newly repaired ramparts, is part of the planned Hongyu Villa project by Qian'an city and Qinglong Manchu Autonomous County of the province.

The Great Wall at Hongyukou section dates back to the imperial Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The age-old big, solid bricks removed from the Great Wall rampart were put aside while the inscriptions and stone cannons formerly preserved in the wall, had disappeared, according to the inspection team.

An investigation showed that the project was unauthorized by any cultural relic departments, and the work unit was not qualified for any construction on ancient buildings.

But in accordance with the relevant regulations on cultural relics protection, any works related to the Great Wall should be reported to the State Bureau of Cultural Relics for approval.

Further investigation on the illegal construction is underway.

Immense construction work on the world-famous Great Wall began back in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the final structure stretches from the Shahaiguan pass of Hebei province in the east to the Jiayuguan pass in Gansu province in the northwestern desert.

(China Daily December 18, 2003)