300 cameras to tackle Great Wall vandalism

Over 300 high-definition cameras have been set up along the Great Wall to try to prevent tourists vandalizing the walls by scratching their names or messages onto the masonry.

English words are carved on bricks of the Great Wall, August 11, 2017. [Photo: Weibo.com]

It's part of a two-pronged approach to the problem which also involves teams patrolling the historic landmark to catch or warn off perpetrators.

It follows recent publicity after Chinese characters, along with English and Korean words were found on parts of the Great Wall's popular Badaling section, causing a public outcry.

However, the practice is nothing new. NBA player, Bobby Brown, aroused public anger after scribbling his name and number on the Great Wall in October 2016.

NBA Houston Rockets player Bobby Brown shows on his Sina Weibo account that he "had a blast at the Great Wall of China". [File Photo: Weibo.com]

Also, an expert on the Great Wall, Dong Yaohui, says many of the scratches were left by tourists in the 1980s to 1990s when people were less aware of the importance of ancient monument protection, and preventative measures were far from effective. These days, Dong says, people are more civilized and more likely to behave appropriately at such sites.

Foreign words are scratched onto the bricks of the Great Wall, August 11, 2017. [Photo: Weibo.com]

The newly installed cameras will provide real-time monitoring and provide a record of events as evidence, if needed. If anyone is found to be vandalizing the wall, they'll be banned from visiting again, reported to the police and punished financially.

Special teams will patrol daily, with more frequent patrols during peak times.

Special signs have been put up warning visitors against climbing on the wall or vandalizing the brickwork.