Beijing has called up a team of dedicated Great Wall monitors to protect it from damage from tourists, adventurous hikers and party revellers.

"Almost every brick at Badaling has been carved with people's names and graffiti," the newspaper said.

Stretches of the wall near the capital have also become popular sites for summer raves.

Last July, "some participants were involved in such indecent and illegal activities as urinating and drug abuse on the wall", the China Daily said of a party that was widely reported and sparked a public uproar.