Hearts bound to weathered stone

Village leaders are also planning to work with cultural heritage authorities to restore the remains of an ancient brick kiln used in the Wall's construction. The site could eventually allow visitors to see how the bricks and materials were produced centuries ago.

Nearby, restoration of the Huajiayaozi section is nearing completion, leaving about 2 km unfinished, according to Li Jing, deputy director of the Yanqing District Great Wall Management Office.

The district is also developing what officials call the "Badaling World-Class Great Wall Scenic Area", which will eventually link multiple segments into a 16.5-km continuous visiting route.

"When it opens," Li says, "it will help drive development in the villages around Badaling and support rural revitalization."

According to Beijing's long-term plan for the Great Wall Cultural Belt, more than 10 percent of the capital's section could be open to visitors by 2035.

For Liu, now in her seventh year as a protector, the Great Wall remains a constant companion through the seasons.

Spring brings peach and apricot blossoms scattering pink across the hills, followed by lilacs. Summer turns the mountains deep green, with cool shade falling across the ramparts. In autumn, the hills ignite with red leaves. Winter arrives quietly, with frost clinging to branches and snow stretching across distant ridges.

Asked which season is most beautiful, Liu hesitates. "It's hard to tell," she says. "Every season has its own beauty, and we should always respect it. It's like our guardian."

In Shixia, the Great Wall is not simply an ancient monument. It is part of daily life — something villagers protect, live beside, and pass down through stories. And in the quiet mountain valleys beneath the Wall, those stories continue to grow.