Great Wall sets up graffiti area for tourists

Mutianyu, a famous section of the Great Wall of China, has established a specified area for graffiti to better protect the ancient heritage item, the governing authority said on Sunday.

Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall, is located in Huairou district, 70 km northeast of central Beijing.

The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall has frequently had graffiti written on it in English and other languages, according to a statement from the district's publicity department.

A report on Beijing Evening News on Friday said lots of newly carved graffiti in foreign languages has appeared on the Mutianyu section, far more than the Chinese-language graffiti.

The No 5 Fighting Tower building is a popular spot for writing graffiti, with most of it in English, the report said.

Mutianyu, as a national key cultural relics site, attracts many tourists every year, with 40 percent from foreign countries, according to the publicity department.

In order to solve the problem of graffiti on the wall, the Mutianyu administration office has established a free graffiti writing area for tourists in the No 14 Fighting Tower building.

The administration office said it plans to set up two more areas for tourists to carve their names or write graffiti.

An electronic graffiti board is also being considered in the future, it said.