For over 2,000 years, the majestic Great Wall in China has stretched across tens of thousands of kilometers like a colossal dragon.

Among the numerous passes along the Great Wall, the most renowned are the Thirteen Passes. Heroic tales involving them are ancient and ubiquitous. Today, the guardians of the Great Wall are writing new chapters.

It has been 40 years since the revered CPC leaders Deng Xiaoping and Xi Zhongxun began the "Love China, Restore the Great Wall" initiative. To celebrate the anniversary, journalists from Hebei Daily have traveled along the Great Wall, interviewing the grassroots heroes who safeguard it, documenting the lives of locals and portraying the spirit of these guardians in the New Era.

This hand-painted scroll by Hebei Daily, based in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, shows the Thirteen Passes and their guardians' short stories.