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GAO Heping， a self-proclaimed “grassroots” photographer in his late 60s， lives in Miyun County on the outskirts of Beijing. This district is home to some of the most spectacular and iconic sections of the Great Wall， including Gubeikou， Jinshanling and Simatai. He has long been a devotee of the Wall， entranced by its majesty and vibrant history. It has inspired much of his photography， which adorns the walls of his spacious 978 Photo Studio.
Life View
Gao first fell under the spell of the Great Wall when a small child， as it wound through his surroundings. However， during his teenage years he and his family of seven suffered the chaos of the “cultural revolution” （1966-1976） and Gao became their sole breadwinner. “In those 10 years， I was full of indignation， resentment and grief that could not be vented. Trials and tribulations were the theme of my life，”Gao said.
But throughout the “cultural revolution” Gao continued to be awed by the grandeur， majesty and impregnability of this wonder of the world. “A philosophy of beauty is implied within it，” Gao said. He explained the sense of tolerance， fortitude， openmindedness and inclusiveness he draws from it. “The Great Wall has shaped my attitude towards life.”
According to Gao， the Great Wall is not only personally significant to him， but also a symbol of Chinese civilization. “It seems that Chinese people’s way of thinking is embodied in the Great Wall，” Gao said. “For example， its defensive purpose embodies the Confucian concept wherein ‘harmony is most precious.’ The Great Wall is a national icon deeply embedded in the hearts of the Chinese people.”
In the 1990s， a wave of rapid development swept the entire country， and Gao’s luck began to change. He worked as a contractor on construction and communication engineering projects. After becoming a wealthy businessman， Gao felt a strong urge to photograph the Great Wall， because he felt it had helped him regain passion and confidence in life.
Gao surrounded himself with books and magazines about the Great Wall， including an atlas depicting it during different dynasties given to him by a fellow photographer， and spent 10 years buried in study. Only then did he set off on his photographic pilgrimage.
15 Years of Obsession
Gao’s expertise is a result of 15 years of obsession and allows him to perfectly present the Great Wall’s beauty and historical traces. His photographs are infused with emotion and he has impressed many by his ability to capture its grandeur and majesty. When asked about his approach， Gao replies that both knowledge and deep understanding of this epic construction are needed to present its beauty. Otherwise you cannot achieve a satisfying result.
But Gao has another trick up his sleeve， courtesy of some former colleagues and experts on meteorology from when he worked at the Miyun Reservoir Management Office. They taught him about the best weather conditions for photographing. “Photographing the Great Wall demands knowledge on various aspects， including weather， history， and geography，”Gao explained.
A Trickle Down Effect
The influence of Gao’s photos has gone beyond his 978 Photo Studio. Erdaoliangzi Village is near the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall and home to around 20 households. In the past poverty forced locals to steal bricks from the Great Wall， but nowadays， thanks to Gao， this is a rare occurrence. Instead they have incentive to protect the beauty that exists in their backyard. Currently， on average every household can earn around RMB 10，000 annually by selling Gao’s photographs on the Great Wall.
Although he has already produced many impressive works， Gao shows no intention of stopping his pursuit. Rather， he is becoming even more ambitious. He plans to use four cameras simultaneously to capture the night view of the ancient construction section by section in one long exposure， and then link the photos into one long scroll. “I want to write a textbook about the technique，” Gao said enthusiastically， “sharing my experiences with generations.”He also hopes to one day hold a photo exhibition themed on the Great Wall， featuring works by photographers from around the world.
Life View
Gao first fell under the spell of the Great Wall when a small child， as it wound through his surroundings. However， during his teenage years he and his family of seven suffered the chaos of the “cultural revolution” （1966-1976） and Gao became their sole breadwinner. “In those 10 years， I was full of indignation， resentment and grief that could not be vented. Trials and tribulations were the theme of my life，”Gao said.
But throughout the “cultural revolution” Gao continued to be awed by the grandeur， majesty and impregnability of this wonder of the world. “A philosophy of beauty is implied within it，” Gao said. He explained the sense of tolerance， fortitude， openmindedness and inclusiveness he draws from it. “The Great Wall has shaped my attitude towards life.”
According to Gao， the Great Wall is not only personally significant to him， but also a symbol of Chinese civilization. “It seems that Chinese people’s way of thinking is embodied in the Great Wall，” Gao said. “For example， its defensive purpose embodies the Confucian concept wherein ‘harmony is most precious.’ The Great Wall is a national icon deeply embedded in the hearts of the Chinese people.”
In the 1990s， a wave of rapid development swept the entire country， and Gao’s luck began to change. He worked as a contractor on construction and communication engineering projects. After becoming a wealthy businessman， Gao felt a strong urge to photograph the Great Wall， because he felt it had helped him regain passion and confidence in life.
Gao surrounded himself with books and magazines about the Great Wall， including an atlas depicting it during different dynasties given to him by a fellow photographer， and spent 10 years buried in study. Only then did he set off on his photographic pilgrimage.
15 Years of Obsession
Gao’s expertise is a result of 15 years of obsession and allows him to perfectly present the Great Wall’s beauty and historical traces. His photographs are infused with emotion and he has impressed many by his ability to capture its grandeur and majesty. When asked about his approach， Gao replies that both knowledge and deep understanding of this epic construction are needed to present its beauty. Otherwise you cannot achieve a satisfying result.
But Gao has another trick up his sleeve， courtesy of some former colleagues and experts on meteorology from when he worked at the Miyun Reservoir Management Office. They taught him about the best weather conditions for photographing. “Photographing the Great Wall demands knowledge on various aspects， including weather， history， and geography，”Gao explained.
A Trickle Down Effect
The influence of Gao’s photos has gone beyond his 978 Photo Studio. Erdaoliangzi Village is near the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall and home to around 20 households. In the past poverty forced locals to steal bricks from the Great Wall， but nowadays， thanks to Gao， this is a rare occurrence. Instead they have incentive to protect the beauty that exists in their backyard. Currently， on average every household can earn around RMB 10，000 annually by selling Gao’s photographs on the Great Wall.
Although he has already produced many impressive works， Gao shows no intention of stopping his pursuit. Rather， he is becoming even more ambitious. He plans to use four cameras simultaneously to capture the night view of the ancient construction section by section in one long exposure， and then link the photos into one long scroll. “I want to write a textbook about the technique，” Gao said enthusiastically， “sharing my experiences with generations.”He also hopes to one day hold a photo exhibition themed on the Great Wall， featuring works by photographers from around the world.