On Sunday, the Global Health students took a trip to a secluded part of the Great Wall. For preservation purposes, the government does not allow tourists to visit this section of the Wall, but we were given special permission and lead by a local guide, who provided us a unique encounter with this Chinese icon. The climb up the mountain to the Wall was difficult, but the sight was worth it. The Wall was falling apart in some places, but it was obvious that it took a lot of people a lot of time and energy to complete the project. Indeed, the beautiful scenery was somewhat marred by the reminder that over 2 million people died during the Wall’s construction. There is an ancient myth that says after you visit the Great Wall, the spirits of the fallen workers haunt you unless you pass by a line of firecrackers to scare them away. And of course Professor Gu wouldn’t let us stay haunted . . . .
