Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

The incident in which an ancient stone lion at Beijing's Fayuan Temple was severely damaged by a tourist has sparked anger and discussions about cultural relic protection, while observers say that cultural heritage protection requires a multidimensional approach, instead of solely blaming institutions or leaving it entirely to legal action.

A video that trended on China's social media on Wednesday shows a ­tourist wearing white gloves and carrying a red backpack push over a stone lion after failing on the first attempt. The fallen stone lion breaks into two pieces. The case is currently being investigated by police in the Xicheng district of Beijing, according to the Beijing Daily.

A staff member with the Fayuan Temple confirmed the incident with the Global Times on Thursday, saying the broken stone lion had been taken away for cultural relic authentication.

The stone lions in the temple are at least 600 years old, dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and hold significant artistic value, according to the reports.

Originally built in 645, Fayuan Temple was included in the fifth batch of key historical and cultural sites under national-level protection by the State Council in 2001.

Bi Jianyu, director of the Cultural Heritage Protection Department of the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage ­Bureau, told the Global Times on Thursday that, first and foremost, vandalizing cultural relics must be condemned.

Cultural relic protection requires a multidimensional approach, integrating public awareness campaigns, technological support, and legal enforcement to build a strong defense, Bi noted.

The key is to foster a social climate in which damaging cultural relics is seen as shameful and unacceptable, reinforcing the moral and ethical responsibility of preservation. Raising public respect and awareness of cultural heritage is essential while law enforcement is merely the last line of defense, he said. 

The newly revised Cultural Relics Protection Law, which took effect on March 1, highlights China's commitment to improving mechanisms for public participation, aiming to mobilize social engagement in cultural heritage preservation.

Li Jiamin, a director with the Chengdu Du Fu Thatched Cottage Museum, talked to thecover.cn about the venue's public exhibition hall dedicated to ancient book restoration. "Visitors watching the restoration process often spend hours there, deeply moved by the experience. This initiative not only educates the public about the importance of cultural preservation but also fosters a deeper emotional connection to cultural heritage," said Li.

Relying solely on "do not approach" signs or manual patrols is no longer sufficient to meet the challenges of protecting cultural relics in open scenic areas. Technological empowerment has been widely applied to beef up cultural heritage preservation.  

Meanwhile, strengthening law enforcement supervision is one of the highlights of the newly revised Cultural Relics Protection Law. It addresses frequent and serious illegal activities such as unauthorized construction within the protection zones of cultural heritage sites and the unauthorized demolition of immovable cultural relics. The maximum fine for such violations has been significantly increased from 500,000 yuan ($69,000) to 10 million yuan. 

Wen Xinyu, a Beijing-based lawyer, told the Beijing News that the legal responsibility for damaging cultural relics varies depending on the severity of the case.

Fayuan Temple is a nationally protected cultural ­heritage site. Damaging its cultural relics not only requires the offender to bear the cost of restoration and ­compensation but may also lead to criminal liability in accordance with the law.

A 41-year-old man who was found guilty of carving characters into a brick while visiting the Badaling section of the Great Wall in Beijing in 2023 was put under five days of administrative detention and fined 200 yuan. 

In addition, according to the regulations, he was added to the Great Wall's "blacklist" for improper behavior. Twelve ­surrounding scenic spots in the Yanqing district also blacklisted the man.

Integrating public engagement, technological innovation, and robust law enforcement will offer a necessary, holistic strategy for the protection of China's rich cultural heritages.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn