Great Wall Blacklist Set Up After Visitor Defaces Badaling

Original Tom Arnstein theBeijinger

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On Mar 24, the same day that the Badaling portion of the Great Wall reopened to the public after two months in slumber due to the coronavirus pandemic, a tourist was caught on camera defacing a portion of the wall with a key.

The video, apparently captured by a fellow visitor, was uploaded onto Weibo and soon went viral under the hashtag 'Badaling Great Wall defaced on the first day of its reopening' (#八达岭长城恢复开放首日被刻字#). Cue dramatic music...

Until now, people caught behaving improperly on the Great Wall ran the risk of being fined up to RMB 500, but following this most recent incident, the Yanqing District Culture and Tourism Bureau announced that it was considering launching a visitor blacklist. Those added to the list will be unable to buy tickets to the wall and other scenic spots in Yanqing for an allotted period of time.

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As of Monday, Apr 6, penalties will be issued for seven types of vandalism of cultural relics, including carving and other intentional damage, according to the Yanqing County Badaling Special Zone Office's Weibo account. The notice adds that the blacklist will be publicly announced to increase exposure and reminds tourists "to abide by the law and observe civilized tours during their visit to jointly protect the precious cultural heritage of the Great Wall."

Portions of the Great Wall have already been victim to a multitude of keys

The list would be the first of its kind for the wall but is consistent with measures that Beijing has taken to curb behavior it deems unsuitable in other areas – from manspreading on the subway to not wearing a mask when you are sick – and the growing use of technology such as real name verification and facial recognition used to enforce them.

Unfortunately, the restrictions have come too late for portions of the Great Wall, with novice engravers having long been the scourge of its ancient bricks. Calls have repeatedly been made to bring harsher penalties to vandals, and in 2017, a special "graffiti area" was even designated so that tourists could inscribe to their delight in a controlled setting. Only time will tell if stronger enforcement and the threat of name and shaming will be what it takes to force petty vandalists to get their kicks elsewhere.