Rock carvings cover image
Photo Credit: VCG
ANCIENT HISTORY

Carved in Stone: Why Did Ancient Chinese Etch Messages into Rock?

Exploring the ancient Chinese obsession with carving messages and poems on rocks and walls

Every year, tourists cause controversy by carving graffiti on China’s renowned ancient sites. In June, a 41-year-old tourist surnamed Chong used a key to scratch his name into the side of the Great Wall. When another tourist videoed his behavior and posted it on the social media platform Weibo, the police soon tracked Chong down, detained him for five days, and fined him 200 yuan for damaging cultural relics.

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