North China's Shanxi province has been making great efforts to protect and develop the Great Wall in recent years, bringing new vitality to the ancient structure.

With over 1,400 kilometers of the Great Wall sections recognized by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, Shanxi is considered the core area and the culmination of the Great Wall culture, with its long period, wide geographical distribution, and extensive resources.

Shanxi has been continuously strengthening and repairing the Great Wall relics and conducting afforestation along the Great Wall in eight cities to improve the ecological environment around the Great Wall.

For example, in the past few years, Daixian county has implemented afforestation projects on over 26 square kilometers of barren mountains in the Yanmen Pass scenic area and surrounding areas. 

"The Great Wall used to be lonely and majestic. Now it gives people a sense of vitality," said Yang Junfeng, president of the Xinzhou Great Wall society.

Relying on the construction of the Great Wall National Cultural Park, Shanxi has promoted the comprehensive development of the economy, society, culture, and ecology along the Great Wall by constructing the Great Wall No 1 tourist highway.

For instance, during holidays, the Niangzi Pass scenic area in Pingding county attracts many visitors. Yang Wenbao, Party secretary of the Niangziguan village, said that a quarter of the village's residents have participated in the tourism industry, and this year, the scenic area has received more than 300,000 visits. Now, each villager can receive a dividend of around 1,500 yuan ($210.46) per year from the tourism section, with an average annual income of 16,000 yuan per person.