Ancient grottoes meet modern tech
According to CNN, China’s Yungang Buddhist Grottoes, with their 51,000 statues carved 1,500 years ago into 252 caves and niches, are unquestionably breathtaking. However, the facilities at this World Heritage site, designated by UNESCO, have drawn more attention lately than the scenery.
A video that circulated on Chinese news and social media platforms depicts timers positioned above a row of female restroom cubicles, each equipped with a digital counter.
The pixelated LED screen turns green to indicate that a stall is empty. When in use, it displays how long the door has been locked in minutes and seconds.
A visitor is said to have taken the original video, which they then transmitted to the local newspaper published by the state, the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald.
“I found it quite advanced technologically so you don’t have to queue outside or knock on a bathroom door,” the paper quoted the visitor as saying.
“But I also found it a little bit embarrassing. It felt like I was being monitored.”
The Xioxiang Morning Herald was informed by an attraction staff member that the timers were put in place to handle the surge in visitors to the attraction, which included the facilities within the tourist site.
“They aren’t there to control the durations you could use the bathrooms,” the staff member was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
“It’s impossible that we would kick someone out [of the bathroom stall] midway. And we aren’t setting a time limit such as five or 10 minutes for how long one could use the toilets.”
According to a park staff member, the timer has been in place since May 1st, 2024, and is primarily a safety precaution, “ensuring the well-being of all guests, in case some guests use the toilet for an extended period of time and an emergency occurs,” as reported by the state-run newspaper Nanchang Evening News.
Discussions around the announcement have been very active on China’s social media platforms. The new timers were backed by several internet users on the well-known microblogging site Weibo, who claimed that they would deter customers from sitting in the stalls and scrolling through their phones.
“A tourist site isn’t an office – who would spend their time in the toilets? Is it really necessary?” said one netizen.
“Why don’t they just spend the money on building more washrooms?” said another.
Others claimed that it would benefit people who may not be able to contact them for help in the event of a true medical emergency.
Record-breaking visitor numbers
One of the main draws in Shanxi province, northern China, is the Yungang Buddhist Grottoes, which was inducted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.
A record 3 million people visited the ticketed scenic area in 2023, a considerable rise from 1.98 million visits in 2019, the site’s second busiest year.
Not only have the restrooms at Yungang Buddhist Grottoes been updated, but so have other areas. To increase the area’s appeal, organizers have added additional mini-attractions and new events in recent years.
