A farmer in Jiayuguan City of northwest China's Gansu Province has invested 800,000 yuan in renovating a section of the Great Wall at Jiayu Pass.

Renovation of the Great Wall began in October and is expected to be completed by May 1, 2001.

The section under repair, which is 330 meters in length, was dismantled or damaged over the past 50 years. The 38-year-old farmer, named Yang Yongfu, said he will restore the original layout of the Great Wall in accordance with the Law of Cultural Relics Protection. Afterwards, the section will be opened to visitors as a tourist spot.

The Jiayu Pass is located at the western end of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Pass stretches 12,000 li, or 6,000 km, rising and falling, along the ridges of the Yanshan and Yinshan Mountain ranges and terminates at Shanhaiguan Pass on the shores of Bohai Bay at the east end.

(People’s Daily 12/15/2000)