Preface:
TheGreatWallofChinaismorethanjustasymbolofthecountry'sculturalheritage.Itisalsoatestamenttothestrength,resilienceandingenuityofthepeoplewhobuiltit,andthegenerationswhohavelivedunderitswatchfuleye.TheWallstretchesover13,000miles,crossingmountainsanddeserts,riversandplains.Ithasbeenstandingforovertwomillennia,witnessingcountlessbattles,conquests,andchangesinthelandscape.Butwhatstoriesdoesitholdwithinitswallsthathaveyettobetold?InaremotepartoftheGreatWall,farfromthebustlingtouristcrowds,therelivedanoldwomannamedSunXiu.ShewasasurvivoroftheCulturalRevolutionandhadseenherfamilytornapartbythepoliticalturmoil.Shewasoneofthefewremainingresidentsofavillagethathadbeenabandonedlongago.Herhomewasasmallhutmadeofmudandstone,nestledbetweentwowatchtowers.Shehadlivedthereforoverfiftyyears,tendingtohergoatsandchickens,andekingoutalivingfromtheharshland.Despiteherage,SunXiuwasstillagileandsharp-witted.ShekneweveryinchoftheWall,everycrackandcrevice,everyhiddenpassageandsecretroom.Shehadlearnedfromherancestorshowtosurviveinthisharshenvironment,howtoconservewater,gatherherbsandfruits,andfendoffwildanimals.Shehadalsolearnedhowtoavoiddetectionbytheauthorities,whowouldhavearrestedherforbeingan"unauthorizedinhabitant"ofaculturalheritagesite.
ButSunXiuhadasecretthatshehadkepthiddenfromeveryoneelse.Shehaddiscoveredahiddenroominsideoneofthewatchtowers,aroomthatwasnotmarkedonanymaportouristguide.Itwasasmallchamberwithalowceilingandanarrowentrance,barelybigenoughforhertosqueezethrough.Insidetheroom,shehadfoundacacheofartifacts,includingoldscrolls,potteryshards,andcoins.Shehadalsofoundsomethingelse,somethingthathadamazedherandscaredheratthesametime.Inthecorneroftheroom,hiddenbehindapileofrubble,wasasmallmetalbox.Itwasunlikeanythingshehadeverseenbefore.Itwasmadeofanalloythatwaslightandstrong,andithadnovisibleopeningsorhinges.Shehadtriedtoopenit,butitrefusedtobudge.Shehadalsotriedtopryitopenwithahammerandchisel,butitseemedimpervioustoanykindofdamage.Itwasasiftheboxhadawillofitsown,anditwantedtoremainsealedforever.SunXiuknewthattheboxmusthavebeenhiddenthereforareason.Perhapsitcontainedatreasure,orasecretmessage,oraweaponofsomekind.Sheknewthatshehadtofindoutwhatwasinside,butshealsoknewthatshecouldnotdoitalone.Sheneededsomeonewhocouldhelpherunlockthemystery,someonewhowasbrave,resourceful,andtrustworthy.ThatsomeonecameintheformofayoungmannamedLiWei.Hewasagraduatestudentinarchaeology,whohadcometotheGreatWalltostudyitshistoryandculture.HehadheardrumorsofanoldwomanwholivedontheWallandknewitssecrets.Hehadsearchedforherforweeks,askinglocalsandparkrangersforanyinformation.Finally,hehadfoundherhut,hiddenbehindathicketofthorns.
Atfirst,SunXiuwaswaryofLiWei.Shehadseenmanyoutsiderscomeandgo,somewithgoodintentions,somewithbad.Shehadlearnedtobecautiousandsuspiciousofanyonewhoapproachedher.ButLiWeiwasdifferent.Hewasrespectful,courteous,andgenuinelyinterestedinherknowledge.HespokefluentMandarinandseveraldialects,andheshowedherhiscredentialsasaresearcher.SunXiuwasimpressedbyLiWei'ssincerityandhispassionforarchaeology.Shesawinhimthesamethirstforknowledgethatshehadhadwhenshewasyoung.Sheagreedtoshowhimthehiddenroomandthemetalbox,ontheconditionthathewouldkeepitasecretandhelpherdecipheritscontents.LiWeiagreed,andtheyshookhands.Thejourneytothehiddenroomwasnoteasy.Theyhadtoclimboverfallenrocks,crossnarrowledges,andsqueezethroughtightgaps.SunXiuledtheway,usingatorchtolighttheirpath.LiWeifollowedcloselybehind,carefulnottosliporbumpintoanyobstacles.Hemarveledattheancientstonesandtheintricatepatternscarvedintothem.Finally,theyreachedthewatchtowerwherethehiddenroomwaslocated.SunXiupointedtoasmallcrackinthewallandwhispered,"Hereitis."LiWeisawtheboxandgasped."Whatisthis?"heasked."Idon'tknow,"repliedSunXiu."ButIhaveafeelingit'simportant."
LiWeiexaminedtheboxclosely,usinghisflashlighttoilluminateitssurface.Hesawnomarkingsorengravings,nocluesastohowitcouldbeopened.Hetriedtotwistit,pushit,tapit,butitremainedstubbornlyshut.Hesighedandsaid,"Thisisgoingtobeachallenge."Theysatdownonthedustyfloorandbegantobrainstorm.SunXiutoldLiWeiwhatsheknewaboutthewatchtoweranditshistory.ShesaidthatithadbeenbuiltduringtheMingDynasty,aroundthe16thcentury,aspartofthemilitarydefensesystem.Ithadbeenabandonedforcenturies,untilshehadfounditbychance.Shehadexploreditthoroughly,lookingforanyhiddenroomsorartifacts.LiWeilistenedintently,takingnotesandaskingquestions.Hesaidthattheboxmusthavebeenmadeofahighlyadvancedmaterial,possiblyakindofalloythatwasnotknowntomodernscience.Hesaidthathehadseensimilarobjectsinmuseumsandprivatecollections,buttheyhadallbeenopenedordamaged.Hesaidthathewouldneedtodosomeresearchandconsultwithhiscolleaguestofigureoutawaytoopenit.SunXiunodded,knowingthatshehadmadetherightdecisionintrustingLiWei.Shesaidthatshewouldhelphiminanywayshecould,providinghimwithfood,water,andshelter.Shesaidthatshewantedtoknowwhatwasinsidetheboxasmuchashedid.
Theyspentthenextfewdaysworkingonthebox,usingvarioustoolsandtechniquestotrytoopenit.Theytriedtodrillintoit,cutitwithasaw,meltitwithacid,butnothingworked.Theboxremainedsealed,asifmockingtheirefforts.LiWeiwasgettingfrustratedanddesperate.Heknewthathecouldn'tstayontheWallforever,ashisfundswererunninglowandhisvisawasexpiringsoon.Heknewthathehadtofindasolutionbeforeitwastoolate.Onenight,whiletheyweresittingoutsidethehut,watchingthestars,LiWeihadanidea.HesaidthathehadreadaboutalegendthatsaidthattheGreatWallheldthesecretoflongevity,thekeytoeternallife.Hesaidthatmanyemperorsandscholarshadsearchedforthissecret,buthadfailed.Hesaidthatperhapstheboxcontainedacluetothissecret,aformulaoraningredient.SunXiuwasintrigued.Shehadheardofthelegend,buthadnevergivenitmuchthought.ShesaidthatshehadseenmanyherbsandplantsgrowingontheWall,someofwhichwereknownfortheirhealingproperties.Shesaidthatshehadalsoseensomestrangeanimalsandinsects,whichwererumoredtohavemagicalpowers.
LiWeisaidthathehadstudiedtraditionalChinesemedicineandknewalotaboutherbsandacupuncture.Hesaidthathehadatheorythattheboxcontainedasampleofarareherborfungus,whichcouldunlockthesecretoflongevity.Hesaidthatheneededtoconsultwithhisprofessorsanddosomemoreresearch,buthewasconfidentthathewasontosomething.SunXiusmiled,feelingasenseofhopeandwonder.Shesaidthatshehadneverthoughtaboutlivingforever,asshehadseensomuchsufferingandinjusticeinherlifetime.Shesaidthatshehadalwaystriedtoliveeachdayasifitwereherlast,cherishingeverymomentandeverymemory.ShesaidthatshewasgladtohavemetLiWei,ashehadremindedherofthepowerofcuriosityandpassion.Thenextday,LiWeipackedhisbagsandsaidgoodbyetoSunXiu.Hepromisedtokeepintouchandtoletherknowwhathefoundoutaboutthebox.Healsopromisedtosendhersomemoneyandsupplies,asatokenofhisgratitude.Hethankedherforherhospitalityandkindness,andsaidthathehopedtoseeheragainsomeday.AsLiWeiwalkedawayfromtheWall,hefeltasenseofexcitementandadventure.Heknewthathehaduncoveredamysterythatcouldchangethecourseofhistory.Healsoknewthathehadmadeafriendforlife,someonewhohadshownhimthetruemeaningofresilienceandsurvival.Hesmiledandsaidtohimself,"TheGreatWallmaybeseenbymillions,butitssecretsareknownonlytoafew."
