international news _ JONTY SKRUFFF _ 30th Novemober, 2005
China Bans Great Wall Raves
Local government authorities have retaken control of management of a stretch of China's Great Wall and banned parties on the historical landmark, after a series of raves attracted fiercely negative media coverage.
According to reports in August, revellers littered and even urinated against the wall, prompting influential newspaper the China Daily to issue an alert warning of 'the psychological harm such desecration of what is the greatest symbol of Chinese culture and history could do to the Chinese people'.
"It takes a wild imagination to link the Great Wall, a revered and sacred national symbol of China, with an orgy that involves drugs and alcohol," the paper added, "But when money grabbing is king and the pursuit of individual 'highs' the norm for some people, you don't need this kind of wild imagination."
Local jock DJ Dio, who organised this year's controversial party on the Jinshanling section of the wall told Beijing Today he remained optimistic that more parties could still happen.
"I think we should continue the tradition of having rave parties. If the authorities won't allow us to do so, of course we won't hold them there," he said.
But the last party we held was officially approved and we had all the paperwork done," he added.
Jonty Skrufff (Skrufff.com)
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