A "face-lifting" movement has been launched to clean up marks left by tourists on the Great Wall, one of the world's most precious historical heritages.

"Nearly every piece of brick on the Badaling section of the Great Wall is carved with words left by tourists, which has defaced the heritage," said Dong Yaohui, vice chairman of China Great Wall Society.

The movement, aiming at sweeping out the marks without damaging the wall itself, was jointly organized by the China Great Wall Society and the Administration Commission of the Badaling section of the Great Wall. The site is the closest part of the Great Wall to the national capital of Beijing.

According to statistics compiled at the commission, about 4 million Chinese and foreign tourists visit the Badaling section every year, many of whom carve or write their names, or words like "I have toured the Great Wall," on the wall bricks.

"Through this movement, we are trying to collect good solutions and call for the public self-consciousness to protect the Great Wall and other cultural relics," said Dong.

(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2005)