Man Carves ‘Sichuan’ on Great Wall, Faces Detention and Fine
During the Qingming Festival holiday, the Badaling Great Wall Scenic Area experienced a slight peak in tourist flow, receiving over 12,000 visits on April 5th alone. As the tourist volume gradually recovers, some uncivilized behaviors have also rebounded. Recently, reporters from the Badaling Tourist Zone Administration learned that in response to illegal and uncivilized behavior of damaging cultural relics, the Badaling Great Wall Scenic Area has introduced the ‘Sanctioning Measures for Damaging Cultural Relics in the Scenic Area’ based on relevant laws and regulations. Those who damage cultural relics and cause serious social impact will be included in the ‘blacklist’ to restrict ticket purchases. The ‘sanctioning measures’ officially took effect on April 6th.
According to reports, the Badaling Great Wall Scenic Area’s newly introduced ‘Sanctioning Measures’ are based on the ‘Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics’, the ‘Regulations on Scenic and Historic Area’, and the ‘Regulations on the Protection of the Great Wall’, combined with the actual situation. The scope of application includes tourists and tourism practitioners who damage the Great Wall’s main body and related structures such as castles, passes, beacon towers, and enemy fortresses. The ‘sanctioning measures’ specify seven categories of destructive behaviors towards cultural relics, such as engraving and intentional damage, and will be subject to administrative penalties. For destructive behavior towards cultural relics and serious social impact, according to relevant laws, tourists will be included in the record of uncivilized tourism behavior, restricting ticket purchases. The ‘blacklist’ of uncivilized tourism behavior records will be regularly announced to the public, with increased exposure and strengthened social supervision.
Real-name booking system provides technical support for the ‘blacklist’ system.
Badaling Tourist Zone Administration Spokesperson Li Dong: We have been planning to implement this ‘blacklist’ system. In June last year, the Badaling Scenic Area achieved full online real-name booking of tickets, which provided the technical conditions for us to set up the ‘blacklist’ system. Once individuals engaged in illegal and uncivilized behavior of damaging cultural relics, they will be included in the ‘blacklist’ and will be unable to book tickets for five years.
At the same time as issuing the ‘Sanctioning Measures’, the Badaling Great Wall Scenic Area has also revised the ‘Grid Management Regulations’, increasing the density of checks and spot checks through increased frequency.
Reporter learned that the Beijing Yongen District is currently establishing a joint accountability mechanism. Tourists on the ‘blacklist’ in the Badaling Great Wall Scenic Area will also be rejected by other tourist areas in Yongen District.
‘Sanctioning Measures’ officially took effect on the first day: A man intentionally carved ‘Sichuan’ on the main body of the Great Wall and was dealt with according to the law.
Badaling Tourist Zone Administration Emergency Management Director Zhang Wei introduced: On April 6th at 10:25, staff were conducting a patrol in the fifth grid area when they discovered two men crouching and standing facing the wall, acting suspiciously. Upon closer inspection, one man was engraving on the wall tiles, and the other man was guarding, having engraved ‘Sichuan’ on the tiles. Staff immediately stopped him and reported to the management department. Currently, the Public Security Bureau is handling the case according to Article 63 of the ‘People’s Republic of China Criminal Management Enforcement Law’, imposing a five-day administrative detention and a fine of 200 yuan on the offender Li. According to Article 6 of the ‘Sanctioning Measures’, the man who engraved on the wall and his accompanying guard were included on the scenic area’s ‘blacklist’, restricting their ticket purchase qualifications.
