Great Wall of China dug up by history-breaching construction wokers to save time, fuel

Two people have been arrested by police in China amid suspicion of attempting to create a shortcut for construction work by damaging a part of the Great Wall of China in central Shanxi province using an excavator.

A 38-year-old man and 55-year-old woman who were working near the affected area, the 32nd Great Wall, were arrested by police and are being further investigated for excavating a shortcut through China's historical heritage site.

They created a "big gap" by enlarging an existing cavity of the Great Wall so that their excavator could move through it, cutting down the distance that they would have covered otherwise which they did not want to do.

Additionally, it emphasised how the two have harmed "the safety of the cultural relics" and "the integrity of the Ming Great Wall irreparably."

The 32nd Great Wall, a portion of the Ming Great Wall that is situated in Youyu County, is recognised as a historical and cultural asset that is protected at the provincial level.

According to BBC, on August 24, police were informed of the damage after receiving reports that there was a sizable crack in the wall.

The Great Wall, which has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1987, was continuously constructed between 220 BC and the Ming Dynasty in the 1600s when it was the biggest military structure in the world.

The Ming Dynasty, often known as the Ming Great Wall, built much of what tourists can see today.

Over time, several sections of the wall — particularly those in isolated rural areas—have been harmed or destroyed.

According to a 2016 article in the newspaper Beijing Times, more than 30% of the Ming Great Wall has completely vanished, with only 8% of it being regarded as being in good condition