平凡人 非凡梦｜长城守护者张杰

家住长城脚下，每年上山近百次，不为观赏美景，只为捡垃圾——张杰，是一名保护长城的志愿者。

今年45岁的张杰，从2014年开始在长城义务捡拾垃圾，如今已经过了8个年头。他说，“长城是祖辈留给咱们的宝贝，我们应当保护它。”如今，张杰向镇上申请了先锋者志愿者服务队，一直坚持用自己的方式守护着长城。同时，他也希望，能够有更多人了解长城，爱上长城，一起保护长城。

Zhang Jie is a volunteer who protects the Great Wall. The 45-year-old has been willingly picking up rubbish there since 2014, traveling back and forth nearly 100 times every year. It is his eighth year protecting the historic wall.

His home is in a small village called Bangshuiyu in suburb of China's capital Beijing. A simple gravel road leads to the village with Huajiayao, a section of the Great Wall, which connects Shixiaguan and Badaling, the wall's most visited section. The unrepaired wall preserves the ancient look, but is also in ruins and can be a desolate sight. In the grass on both sides of the wall, rubbish could bee seen left by visitors, such as cans, water bottles and plastic bags. Zhang always picks them up and brings them down.

CGTN screenshot

Spanning 2,000 years in time and over 20,000 kilometers in distance, the Badaling Great Wall is an impressive architectural feat, and also a symbol of the Chinese nation. For Zhang, who was born and raised at the foot of the mountains, the Great Wall is not only a paradise from his childhood, but also a treasure left by the ancestors.

The Great Wall has always been called the "border wall" by elders in the village. But Zhang had scant knowledge about it, only that the wall was used to hinder the enemy during battles back in ancient times. His most memorable childhood experience was to go to the forest by the wall and pick up dry firewood with other children.

CGTN screenshot

Since 2015, the Huajiayao Great Wall has been gradually repaired, as more tourists are coming. However, more visitors bring more rubbish. Sometimes, rubbish bags are filled up to one-meter high. Zhang came to the idea of setting up a team. And thus he formed a group of volunteers, up to 20 people, ranging from 35 to 50 in age. Meanwhile, with the call of the local government, more and more people have joined the volunteer ranks.

CGTN screenshot

Zhang's story has inspired millions of users on CGTN's Facebook page, with many expressing their appreciation for his selfless dedication. Today, Zhang is still protecting the Great Wall in his own way. He also hopes that more people can learn more about, fall in love with and get together to protect the Great Wall.

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