Great Wall graffiti gets free hand

Mutianyu, a famous section of the Great Wall Beijing, now has a designated area for graffiti to better protect this ancient construction after media reported that many words or letters left on the old wall by tourists.

This section of the Great Wall has frequently been the target of graffiti in English and other languages, according to a statement from the district's publicity department on Sunday.

Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the best-preserved part of Great Wall in China, located in Huairou district, about (1 hour's driving)70kilometers way from city center Beijing. It is famous as the most beautiful section wall and frequently visited by overseas visitors. According to report, the No.5 Fighting Tower building is the most popular spot for leaving graffiti.

In the past years, the administration office of Mutianyu has arranged rountaine patrol teams and anti-graffiti placards to discourage tourists from graffiti writing; the cultral relic site protection department was ordered to restore the defaced buildings.

Now a Free graffiti zone has been set up in the No.14 fighting tower building and Two more such zones will be set up in fighting tower No.5 & No.10.

The new policy gives visitors inclined to improperly leave their names an approved place to do so, which will better protect the ancient buildings of Mutianyu in the long run, said a publicity official, surnamed Wen, of Huairou district.

Xu Fan, a member of the panel of tourism experts of the World Tourism Organization, said that designating an area for graffiti was acceptable. But she questioned the plan to add more such areas and said an electric board for graffiti writing was a better choice.

Signage is also good, Xu said: "In current areas where tourists carve words spontaneously, the administrators should also set up signs to guide people to the newly established graffiti writing area."