Man apologizes for vandalizing scenic rocks with graffiti

A man who vandalized a dozen scenic rocks in suburban Beijing apologized and started to remove the graffiti on Saturday. The apology was accepted by the local area managers.

Chen Zhicheng, 53, left a trail of 13 graffiti signatures during his climb in the scenic hills in Huangshandian village in Beijing's Fangshan District. Using red paint, he scribbled his name, the date, "September 1", and a few sentences praising the natural wonder. Pictures of the graffiti were heavily criticized after they were posted on online platforms, before Chen's nephew finally told him about it.

"I've not been in a good mood recently due to family matters, plus I fear that I might be too old to climb these mountains again," Chen said in an interview with Beijing Legal Evening News. "I wanted to have something to hold on to."

Chen came to the village's managers to apologize on Saturday and offered to clean the graffiti.

"I love the mountains, I should have protected the environment voluntarily, I hope others don't make the same mistake again."

The village managers had been cleaning the paint prior to Chen's apology, yet light red stains remain. Chen came to clean the stains on Saturday and promised to remove all that's remaining.

In an interview with the Beijing News, an unnamed manager from the scenic area said that no further action will be taken against Chen.

"His attitude is sincere and apologetic, and he made promises to clean it all," the manager said. "This matter is solved." According to the manager, the cleaning process is expected to be finished in a week.

Regulators have issued standards for civilizing tourists' behavior. Severe immoral acts could lead to blacklisting, which may trigger restrictions in traveling. A blacklist of 20 tourists was publicized by the China National Tourism Administration in August.

Located in southwest Beijing's Fangshan District, Huangshandian village serves as a tourist attraction for its natural beauty. It made the list of "the most beautiful leisure villages in China" in 2015 by the Ministry of Agriculture.