Wang Shengyan, director of Yanchi county's cultural relics management institute, once considered the local portion of the Great Wall as merely a long stretch of man-made earthen barrier. But since taking on the role in 2007, his perspective has profoundly changed.

Today, the 58-year-old leads a pioneering effort that combines traditional guardianship with cutting-edge digital technology to maintain and protect one of China's most iconic heritage sites in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

Yanchi is home to 259 kilometers of the Great Wall of China, accounting for a quarter of its total length in Ningxia. Its sections, built from rammed earth, face constant threats. Natural erosion from wind and rain, root systems from vegetation, animal burrows and soil erosion cause gradual collapse. Past human activities, like digging holes for shelter or storage, have also taken a heavy toll.

"When I first saw the Great Wall, I felt it was nothing like the grand and magnificent structure I had imagined. But now I see it as the crystallization of ancient wisdom and a precious treasure left by our ancestors," Wang said.

To counter the threats, Wang has introduced multiple innovative protection schemes, including grassland fencing and dedicated protective barriers. These measures have kept people and livestock away, allowing vegetation to recover and naturally reduce soil erosion.

In 2015, the county made history by becoming the first in China to launch an adoption protection program. Collective adopters donate funds for protective fencing or shrub planting, while individual adopters personally inspect their 100-to-500-meter segments, reporting any damage.

In 2023, Wang launched a volunteer patrol team composed of villagers who live near the Great Wall. They check the structure during their spare time or while working in the fields, helping mend fences and prevent unauthorized earth removal.

Pan Shengliang, a 67-year-old resident of a nearby village, is one such volunteer. "When we used to graze sheep, people and animals would walk all over the Great Wall, making it shorter and damaged. But after seeing the positive changes from protection efforts, we realized we must stop destroying it," he said.

Pan now checks the fencing several times per month, carrying pliers and wire for quick repairs. "I feel very proud. I take my grandson to the Great Wall in my pickup truck and tell him stories of how we played there as children. I want to pass this on to the next generation," he added.

Beyond grassroots efforts, Wang is harnessing technology. Infrared cameras monitor key sections and areas of frequent human activities, tracking changes to the Wall's structure and deterring vandalism. Drones have replaced foot patrols, allowing staff to scan 2 to 3 km of the structure and its surroundings in minutes.

Most ambitiously, Wang is using the ongoing fourth national cultural relics census to build a digital database of the county's portion of the Great Wall. His team has completed 3D modeling for critical sections, including watchtowers and beacon platforms. The digital archive will allow them to compare the wall's condition year by year, analyze how different soil compositions degrade over time, and identify which segments need urgent, state-funded restoration.

"With the database, we can see how much a section has changed after one, two or three years under natural conditions. If a segment degrades significantly, we will prioritize its protection," Wang said.

"The Great Wall is our spiritual home and a symbol of Chinese civilization. We must tell the story of our responsibility to guard this land. This spirit must be passed down, generation after generation."