A recent viral video of a man intentionally kicking and pulling bricks out of the Great Wall has inspired officials to take measures to help preserve the historic relic.
READ MORE: Man Kicks Down Great Wall, Investigation Ongoing
Officials have now announced plans to begin cracking down on brick thieves, specifically. Bricks from the Great Wall are widely used to build homes and are often illegally hawked as tourist souvenirs.
As part of the latest crackdown, there will be spot checks, routine inspections and even a hotline to report incidents, CNN reports.
A plan to stop thieves was first outlined earlier this year by The State Administration of Cultural Heritage. However, a recent viral video (below) depicting a man intentionally destroying a portion of the wall has made the issue all the more pressing for officials.
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This viral video has inspired China's latest crackdown on Great Wall brick thieves.
The Great Wall stretches 13,000 miles (21,000 kilometers) across northern China. The massive structure was built in phases from the third century B.C. to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is estimated that 30 percent of the Ming Dynasty portion of the Great Wall has disappeared, and less than 10 percent of it has been properly and effectively preserved.
Aside from human destruction, the Great Wall is also being destroyed by natural elements such as wind, rain and sandstorms.
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