China’s Peking University to investigate graffiti found on ancient bell
Inner surface of century-old bell found to be covered in scribblings, though they may have been there for years
Authorities at Peking University in Beijing have begun an investigation after discovering that several ancient artefacts in its grounds had been covered in graffiti, local media reported.
The defaced items include a giant copper bell that forms part of a clock tower close to Weiming Lake in the north of the campus, ChinaNews.com reported on Thursday.
Its inner surface was found to have been adorned with hundreds on inane scribblings, like “I love Beida” [the nickname for Peking University] and “Love you forever Momo”. The vast majority were written in Chinese, though some were in English and Korean.
The report did not specify exactly what form the investigation would take, but an official from the university’s campus management team was quoted as saying that the “circumstances needed to be verified”.