A construction plan that will preserve and protect China's Great Wall of Qi is already underway, according to a provincial heritage official, Xinhua reported. 

Xie Zhixiu, head of the Shandong Cultural Heritage Administration, said that the restoration project will target the "cultural and natural scenic area of the Great Wall of Qi."

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The project is aimed at protecting and restoring the 620-kilometer walls, military relics, and the natural environment along and around the walls, Xie said. 

The Great Wall of Qi is the oldest part of the entire Great Wall of China, built well before the Qin Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty - who constructed the existing and well-known Great Wall. 

The Great Wall of Qi was erected by the Qi state in ancient China during the rule of the Zhou dynasty to defend its people from the Chu invasion. It was built from 770 BC to 476 BC, the Spring and Autumn Period, with the Warring States Period putting an end to the construction. The war ultimately led to the Qin Dynasty's rise to power and unified the states Han, Zhao, Yan, Wei, Chu, and Qi. 

The ruling dynasty and the following 20 emperors then expanded the fortification that would later be declared a world cultural heritage in 1987. 

Starting from the banks of the Yellow River to the city of Qingdao in the east, the Great Wall of Qi runs along the modern-day cities of Laiwu, Linyi, Rizhao, Tai'an, Weifang, and Zibo in Shandong Province. 

Most of the original walls have been destroyed, but much of the ruins, which include narrow passages, castles, parapets, beacon towers, and gates, can still be found; especially in Jinan, Tai'an, and Zibo. 

The Great Wall of Qi and the entire Great Wall remain fascinating tourist attractions today. It is unclear if tours will be available while the restoration project is ongoing. 

TagsGreat Wall of Qi, Great Wall of China, China's Heritage, World Heritage in China, Heritage restoration projects