Different ranks of the historical armies.[Photo provided to China Daily]

In September 2016, the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation launched a project focusing on protecting the Great Wall, which prompted a collaboration with Tencent Foundation to launch a special public fund for the cause.

In August 2018, Ma Yao, project manager of the protection of the Great Wall at Tencent Foundation, invited the DDH studio to write and design the book.

"The reason we wanted to make this book is that we realized there has been no illustrated book about the Great Wall in China like this one. The existing ones are either for children or are just photo albums," Ma explains.

Ma had been focusing on work related to the Great Wall two years before the foundation was launched.

In 2014, Ma was responsible for mapping the "street view" of the Great Wall on Tencent maps. He led two photographers on field surveys and mapping excursions.