Coal Company Breached Ming Dynasty Great Wall; Shanxi Officials Impose Penalties and Probe Negligence
A CCTV investigation revealed that Shenda Chaokai Coal Industry Co., Ltd. cut through a Ming Dynasty Great Wall section in Ningwu County, Shanxi, creating a gap initially 18 meters wide, later backfilled to about 6 meters. Whistleblowers reported the damage for a decade without action. In September 2026, authorities imposed administrative penalties and criminal measures on the company and are investigating regulatory dereliction of duty and possible corruption.
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Shanxi Coal Company Cut Through Ming Dynasty Great Wall to Save Time, Investigation Finds
On September 22, the Propaganda Department of Ningwu County in Shanxi Province, China, issued a statement regarding a CCTV news investigation into the destruction of a section of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. The report revealed that Shen Da Chao Kai Coal Industry Company had cut an 18-meter-wide gap in the ancient wall to create a shortcut for transporting slag, saving on costs. The company later backfilled 12 meters of the gap, leaving a 6-meter-wide breach. The investigation found that the company operated without a business license or mining permit before 2013, making its mining activities illegal. Despite repeated reports from a whistleblower starting in 2015, local authorities failed to act, with the cultural relics department initially stating there was no danger. In March 2024, following media pressure, a provincial task force was formed. The company was fined 1 million yuan, and its actual controller and former chairman were criminally detained on charges of illegal mining and damaging cultural relics. The county government has launched a comprehensive rectification campaign.
Read sourceGreat Wall cut by coal company for nearly 20 years; regulatory failure called more dangerous than vandalism
An investigative report by CCTV revealed that a coal mining company in Ningwu County, Shanxi Province, cut through a section of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall to dump slag, creating an 18-meter-wide gap that was later partially backfilled to about 6 meters. Whistleblowers reported the damage to cultural relic authorities for a decade without action. In September 2026, Ningwu County authorities announced administrative penalties and criminal measures against the company, and a provincial task force is investigating dereliction of duty and possible corruption among local regulators. The article argues that the prolonged inaction by cultural relic and mining oversight bodies reflects systemic regulatory failure, not just isolated vandalism. It notes that Shanxi, a major coal province, has a history of coal-related corruption and that the incident has spurred new provincial regulations for Great Wall protection. The piece calls for severe accountability to deter future abuses and highlights that multiple other sections of the Great Wall in the area have also been damaged by mining, indicating widespread neglect.
Chinese Officials Report on Investigation into Ming Dynasty Great Wall Damage by Coal Mine
On September 22, the Publicity Department of the Ningwu County Committee in Shanxi Province issued a statement regarding a CCTV news report on the damage to the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. The report alleged that Shen Da Chao Kai Coal Industry Company had damaged the ancient structure and that regulatory authorities had failed in their oversight for an extended period. In response, Ningwu County convened an emergency meeting to study and implement directives on cultural relic protection. The county launched a comprehensive rectification campaign on March 18, investigating the damage, illegal waste dumping, and other issues. Authorities have imposed administrative penalties and criminal measures on the company and responsible individuals. An investigation into potential dereliction of duty and corruption by regulatory officials is ongoing. The county has also initiated emergency repairs on the affected section of the wall and ecological restoration in the surrounding area, pledging increased resources and long-term protection mechanisms for the Great Wall. The statement expresses gratitude for media supervision and vows to address historical issues and strengthen heritage protection.
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Shanxi County Reports Ming Great Wall Damage; Company Penalized, Criminal Measures Taken
Ningwu County in Shanxi province, China, issued a statement on September 22, 2026, regarding the investigation into the damage of a Ming Dynasty Great Wall section by Shen Da Chao Kai Coal Industry. The county reported that it launched a rectification campaign on March 18, 2026, following earlier media reports. The statement claims that the issues have been largely investigated, and the involved company and responsible individuals have received administrative penalties and criminal coercive measures. Authorities are further investigating potential dereliction of duty and disciplinary violations by regulatory departments over the years, promising strict legal handling. The county acknowledged media supervision and pledged to strengthen Great Wall protection efforts, including repairs, ecological restoration, and long-term management mechanisms. The statement was issued by the Publicity Department of the Ningwu County Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Read sourceChina: Shanxi Ming Dynasty Great Wall Damage Investigation Leads to Penalties for Mining Firm
On September 22, the Publicity Department of the Ningwu County Committee in Shanxi Province issued a notice regarding an investigation into damage to the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, as reported by CCTV News on September 21. The report identified Shen Da Chao Kai Coal Industry as the perpetrator of the damage and highlighted long-term regulatory failures by relevant authorities. In response, Ningwu County convened an emergency leadership meeting to study directives on cultural relic protection and accelerate corrective actions. The county launched a comprehensive remediation campaign on March 18, investigating the wall damage, illegal waste dumping, and other issues. The affected section of the Great Wall is undergoing emergency repair, and surrounding ecological restoration is proceeding. The investigation has largely concluded, with administrative penalties and criminal coercive measures imposed on the company and responsible individuals. Authorities are further probing dereliction of duty and disciplinary violations by past regulators, promising strict legal handling. The county expressed gratitude for public and media oversight and pledged to address historical issues and strengthen long-term protection of the Great Wall.
Read sourceCCTV: Ming Dynasty Great Wall Breached by Coal Company, Fined 1 Million Yuan
A CCTV investigation published on September 22 revealed that a section of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall at Guojiayao in Ningwu County, Shanxi, was deliberately breached, creating an approximately 6-meter gap. The gap connects a mining area and a waste dump. Satellite imagery and insider sources indicate the breach existed as early as 2007, and was subsequently used by Shenzhe Chaokai Coal Industry Co., Ltd. for transport and slag dumping after its establishment in 2013. Public records show that the Ningwu County Bureau of Culture and Tourism fined the company twice, on March 25 and April 28, 2026, for violating Article 18, Paragraph 2 of the Cultural Relics Protection Law, totaling 1 million yuan (500,000 yuan per fine). The company, with a registered capital of 50 million yuan, was founded in 2013.
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