BEIJING: A newly renovated public toilet at the famous Chinese tourist site of Dunhuang has unexpectedly gone viral online.
The unlikely surge in popularity comes after the public convenience was transformed from a utilitarian facility into a cultural space.
It has become such a must-see that visitors have expressed a desire to wear a traditional Hanfu outfit to explore it.
Dunhuang means “grand and prosperous” in Chinese.
The site is located in northwestern Gansu province and was once a major stop along the ancient Silk Road.
It is best known for the Mogao Caves, which are also known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes.
The vast Buddhist cave complex is renowned for its stunning murals and sculptures and is recognised as a Unesco World Cultural Heritage site.
But it is a newly opened public restroom at the Dunhuang Night Market that has gone viral, with many tourists posting videos praising its artistic and thoughtful design.
Decorated with murals, infused with local aromatherapy, and even equipped with rest areas offering drinks and coffee, the facility feels more like a tourist attraction than a bathroom.
It has drawn curious crowds eager to take photographs.
On Aug 30, a member of staff from the Dunhuang Cultural Tourism Shazhou Night Market Scenic Area Operation Management Co., Ltd. told Jimu News that the bathroom is officially named the Dunhuang Pure Realm Public Cultural Space.
The facility covers two floors.
“The first floor incorporates elements of Dunhuang culture. The second presents a secret realm concept which is designed to evoke a sense of fantasy. The exterior features ultra-clear glass curtain walls,” the member of staff said.
It officially opened on Aug 16, and has quickly become a social media sensation. The cost of the renovation has not been disclosed.
The member of staff also highlighted several user-friendly features of the 600-square-metre space:
It also boasts a dedicated mother-and-baby room equipped with antibacterial nursing tables, child safety seats and a self-cleaning dome system.
This creates a clean and cosy space for families. There are also accessible facilities for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Photographs taken by visitors show a waiting area that includes chairs and tables, and even a self-service tea and drink dispenser.
Visitors have been astonished and delighted.
One mother said: “I was looking for a toilet in the night market and thought I had accidentally walked into an unopened grotto. I also heard another tourist expressing regret for not wearing traditional Hanfu to take photos there.”
The site has also sparked lively discussion on mainland social media.
One person said: “This is the most luxurious public toilet I have ever seen.”
While another said, “When you enter, it is silent and the screen outside even shows how many minutes you have been in the stall. If you exceed five minutes, the display changes colour to alert you that you have been inside too long.” - South China Morning Post
