This is the moment a young couple carve their names and a heart onto the ancient stones of a section of the Great Wall of China during a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site.

The incident happened at Beacon Tower No. 5 on the Simatai section of the Great Wall in Miyun District, Beijing, on 3rd October.

Video filmed by a tourist shows the man squatting as he scratches the characters into the stone while his girlfriend stands beside him smiling and recording the scene on her phone.

The witness, named Ms Li, can be heard warning them that what they are doing is "not good," but the pair ignore her and continue carving.

After etching their names and drawing a heart between them, the woman reportedly posed for a photo beside the damage.

Staff from the Gubei Water Town scenic area, which manages the Simatai Great Wall, reported the incident to the police as soon as they were informed.

Officers from the Gubeikou Police Station launched an investigation and tracked down the couple the following morning.

They identified the suspects as a 26-year-old man, surnamed Man, and a 21-year-old woman, surnamed Liu, who admitted to carving the graffiti after entering the site at around 2pm.

Both were detained and fined by Miyun police for damaging the cultural heritage site.

A young man carves names on the Simatai Great Wall in China, Oct. 3, 2025. He and his companion a 21-year-old woman have been detained. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (newsX)

Police reminded visitors to observe regulations protecting historical monuments and to practise civilised tourism.

According to public information, the Simatai section of the Great Wall of China dates back to the early Ming Dynasty around 1373 and was later reinforced by generals Qi Jiguang and Tan Lun.

It was listed as one of China's national key cultural relics protection units in 2001.

(Mike Leidig / newsX)