Wonder Wall

Editor's Note: Beijing is co-hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics with Zhangjiakou in Hebei province. From culture and cuisine to tourism and the arts, we take you to the attractions in these areas of North China for an unforgettable stay.

When heavy snow hit Beijing late last year, many residents in the capital rushed to take cover. But photographer Yang Dong's first thought was to ready his camera for the perfect shot.

The next morning, Yang drove to the Jiankou section of the Great Wall and climbed the structure with all his photographic equipment in tow. Yang bided his time the whole day to capture a specific moment when the Great Wall was enshrouded by clouds before sunset.

"After heavy rain or snow, the next day is the best time to find a sea of clouds around the Great Wall," Yang says during a phone interview with China Daily.

The 28-year-old has become popular on social media platform Sina Weibo, sharing the stories behind his photographs of the Great Wall (of which he has taken 400,000) over the past five years.

He is known by many simply as the Great Wall photographer, and his story is admired among fellow enthusiasts of the historic structure. Yang was invited to take part in the documentary Loving the Great Wall released in January 2020, and was also spokesman for the 2019 China Great Wall International Foto Week.