Members of a religious organization are suspected of defacing the landmark Kuanyin Stone (觀音石) in Pingtung County’s Liouciou Township (琉球) and they are to be summoned for questioning in the next few days.
The “Kuanyin Stone” is a 200-year-old rock formation that resembles the profile of Kuanyin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy and compassion.
It has been a major draw for tourists and religious devotees alike.
Photo taken from the Internet
However, local residents discovered on April 21 that the nose, mouth and chin of the formation had been cut off.
An unidentified person provided the police with a video reportedly showing several members of a religious group performing what appeared to be a religious ritual next to the rock on April 21.
After examining videos from surveillance cameras installed near the formation, the police concluded on Monday that the religious organization came from other parts of the nation.
However, when the police contacted the group’s liaison to inquire about the case, he denied allegations that the members were responsible for the damage, saying that they also recorded the ritual and were willing to submit the footage as evidence.
Meanwhile, Liouciou Township Mayor Tsai Tien-yu (蔡天裕) and Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area Administration Deputy Director Hsu Chu-lung (許主龍) have tasked specialists to evaluate and repair the damage, although some people urged them to “leave the rock as it is.”
Damaging famous landmarks, natural resources or tourist facilities in tourism locations or designated scenic spots is punishable with a maximum fine of NT$5 million (US$165,000) should the damage be irreparable, as stipulated in Article 62 of the Act for the Development of Tourism (發展觀光條例).
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