A screenshot from the video shows a timer above a toilet cubicle at the Yungang Buddhist Grottoes.
CNN
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Boasting 51,000 Buddha statues carved into 252 caves and niches some 1,500 years ago, the Yungang Buddhist Caves in China are an undeniably spectacular sight.
But these days, it’s the UNESCO World Heritage site’s toilets that have been getting more attention than the scenery.
A video recently shared on various Chinese news and social media sites shows a set of timers installed above toilet stalls in a women’s restroom, with digital counters installed in each stall.
If the cubicle is vacant, a pixelated LED screen will display the word “vacant” in green, and if it’s occupied, it will show the number of hours and seconds the door will be locked.
The original video was reportedly filmed by a visitor and sent to the state-run local newspaper, Xiao Xiang Morning News.
“Technology has advanced so much that I didn’t feel the need to queue outside or knock on toilet doors,” the paper quoted a visitor as saying.
“But I also found it a little embarrassing. I felt like I was being watched.”
Staff at the attraction reportedly told the Xiaogou Morning Post that the timers were installed to accommodate an increase in visitors to the attraction, which includes facilities within the tourist site.
“They’re not there to control the times when you can use the restrooms,” the official was quoted as telling the newspaper.
“There’s no way I’d kick someone out. [of the bathroom stall] “We don’t take breaks during the trip, and we don’t have a five or ten minute time limit for when you can use the restroom.”
Emeric Fohlen/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The Yungang Buddhist Caves in China contain 51,000 Buddha images carved into 252 caves and niches.
The state-run Nanchang Evening News quoted a park official as saying the timers had been up and running since May 1 this year, primarily as a safety measure “to ensure the health of all guests in case an emergency occurs because some guests use the toilets for too long”.
The news sparked much discussion on Chinese social media sites.
Some netizens on the popular microblogging platform Weibo supported the introduction of the new timers, saying they would discourage visitors from scrolling through their phones while sitting inside the stalls.
“Tourist destinations are not offices. Who would spend time in a toilet? Is it really necessary?” said one netizen.
“Why not use that money to build more toilets?” said another.
Some said it would help people who actually have medical emergencies and are unable to call for help.
The Yungang Buddhist Caves were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 and are one of the biggest tourist attractions in northern China’s Shanxi Province.
The paid scenic spot is expected to welcome 3 million tourists in 2023, a record high for the destination and a significant increase from 2019, its second-busiest year (1.98 million tourists).
The Yungang Buddha Grottoes have not only renovated their toilets, but in recent years have also introduced new shows and added new mini-attractions to the area to increase their appeal.
