Rock Wall in Shijiazhuang, China Erased, Music Fans Express Regret

(Central News Agency reporter Lü Jiarong, Beijing, 11th) A graffiti wall in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China—long regarded as a cultural landmark known as the 'rock wall'—has been cleared, triggering heated discussion and regret among music fans and local citizens. In 2023, the Shijiazhuang municipal government announced its plan to build China’s 'City of Rock.'

According to mainland media reports, the mural wall located at the intersection of Jianshe Street and Longteng Road in Yuhua District, Shijiazhuang, has for years served as a gathering place for music fans and street artists. It became a popular must-visit spot for rock enthusiasts traveling from other regions.

On the 8th, several individuals not wearing uniforms used cement mortar to paint over the wall, erasing album covers and member portraits of bands such as Omnipotent Youth Society and No Party for Cao Dong. The once-colorful graffiti wall has now turned into a plain gray surface.

Staff from the local neighborhood office explained that the wall belongs to the exterior of a construction site belonging to a private developer. The construction unit intends to repaint it for use in commercial building development and advertising campaigns.

In response, rock fans later sprayed protest messages onto the wall, including 'Rock is not dead' and 'No romance in North China.' Many Chinese netizens expressed dissatisfaction, with some commenting, 'Rock music is indeed too cheap—it can't even be accommodated on a single city wall.' Video footage released yesterday shows surveillance cameras have since been installed on the cleaned wall.

In 2021, the Shijiazhuang municipal government work report proposed creating a modern music fashion city under the unique brand 'Rock Home Town.' On July 13, 2023, the official account 'Shijiazhuang Fabu' formally announced the initiative to build China’s 'City of Rock' and launched a music performance season.