Summer Palace dispels rumors of vandalism

Statues have lost their heads at Beijing's Summer Palace, but did it happen recently? Photos of the Buddha statues have created a buzz online, and rumors of vandalism and theft have spread quickly. But staff at the popular tourist spot says there's nothing to get worked up about.

This is the Hall of the Sea of Wisdom, one of the iconic structures at the Summer Palace. It was built over 200 years ago by Emperor Qianlong, and is adorned with over a thousand glazed Buddhist statues, which pop out against a green background. But a closer look reveals that something's missing. What happened to the heads?

Zou Ying, Deputy Director, The Summer Palace, said, "Many of the statues here were damaged during the invasion by the Eight-Nation Alliance about one hundred years ago. They are not recent acts of vandalism."

Two major restoration initiatives were launched in 1982 and 2006. Over 800 statues were repaired, though not perfectly.

Zou Ying, Deputy Director, The Summer Palace, said, "We repaired many of the heads, but because the new material and the old one reacted differently to the elements, some of the heads fell off."

So, the internet rumors may have been debunked, and in fact the heads have been long gone. But many believe the rumor mongering has been a good thing for the site, as it raises public awareness of the protection of one of the most prized treasures at the Summer Palace.