Timers Have Been Put on Toilets at a Tourist Spot in China

The Yungang Buddhist Grottoes, a spectacular UNESCO-listed World Heritage site in China, has recently garnered attention not for its 1,500-year-old statues and caves, but for an unusual addition to its restrooms. 

Timers have been installed above the toilet cubicles, sparking mixed reactions among visitors and netizens.

The Yungang Buddhist Grottoes, located in northern China’s Shanxi province, is renowned for its 51,000 statues carved into 252 caves and niches. 

While the historical and cultural significance of this site continues to draw large crowds, it is the restroom facilities that have become a topic of discussion lately.

A video circulating on Chinese news and social media platforms showcases these timers in a female washroom. 

Each stall has its own digital counter, which displays the word “empty” in green when unoccupied. 

When in use, the timer shows the minutes and seconds the door has been locked.

Visitors have expressed a range of opinions about this new feature. 

Some appreciate the technological advancement, noting that it helps manage queues and avoids the need to knock on doors to check for availability. 

One visitor remarked, “I found it quite advanced technologically so you don’t have to queue outside or knock on a bathroom door.”

However, not everyone is comfortable with the idea. Some find the timers embarrassing, feeling as though they are being monitored. 

“But I also found it a little bit embarrassing. It felt like I was being monitored,” said one visitor.

According to a staff member at the site, the timers were installed to manage the increasing number of visitors. 

With record-breaking visitor numbers, including 3 million in 2023 alone, the facilities inside the tourist site needed an upgrade to handle the influx. 

The staff member emphasized that the timers are not meant to limit the time spent in the stalls but are a safety measure. 

They explained, “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 of how long one could use the toilets.”

The Nanchang Evening News, a state-run newspaper, quoted a park staff member who stated that the timers have been operational since May 1 of this year. 

The primary purpose is to ensure the safety and well-being of guests, particularly in case of emergencies where someone might be in the restroom for an extended period.

On Weibo, China’s popular micro-blogging platform, reactions have been varied. 

Some users support the new timers, suggesting they would discourage people from using the stalls for non-essential activities like scrolling on their phones. 

One netizen commented, “A tourist site isn’t an office – who would spend their time in the toilets? Is it really necessary?” Others suggested that the funds might be better spent on constructing additional restrooms. 

Another user remarked, “Why don’t they just spend the money on building more washrooms?”

Despite the controversy, the installation of these timers reflects a broader effort by the Yungang Buddhist Grottoes to upgrade its facilities and enhance the visitor experience. 

In recent years, the site has introduced new shows and mini-attractions to boost its appeal further.

As the Yungang Buddhist Grottoes continues to draw significant numbers of tourists, managing the flow and ensuring the safety and comfort of all visitors remain priorities. 

Whether the timers will become a permanent feature or lead to further innovations in visitor management remains to be seen. 

For now, they serve as a reminder of the blend of ancient history and modern technology at this remarkable tourist destination.