Why workers use sponges to soak up water after heavy rain in Beijing

After two days of heavy rain in Beijing due to the impact of Typhoon Dolphin, puddles formed on the ground in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the main building at the Temple of Heaven with a history of more than 600 years. 

In a video posted online on Wednesday, a worker was squatting down close to the ground, repeatedly pressing a sponge against the brick pavement and wringing rainwater into a large bucket by hand. The act immediately raised a question in many: Why not use mechanical pumps, mops or brooms to clear the water?

A staff member at the Temple of Heaven's visitor service center explained that such measures were taken to preserve the ground, which is paved with "golden bricks." These bricks, which are applied in a small area at the site, are valuable historical artifacts. Using sponges to soak up the water minimizes damage, while sweeping away water with a broom or other mechanical tools could cause friction that leads to surface wear.  

The "golden bricks," while not literally made of gold, are prized for their fine craftsmanship and historical value. They earned their names from the clear sounds they make when struck, a result of their fine and hard texture. According to the Suzhou Municipal People's Government, producing the bricks requires a special type of yellow clay from Lumu Town in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, as well as a complex manufacturing process based on traditional techniques passed down over hundreds of years.

Soaking water with sponges on the surface of "golden bricks" aligns with the principle of minimum intervention, which requires that any engagement with historical buildings should keep intact their historical value, original material, and cultural significance.

This principle aligns with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Cultural Relics Protection, which stipulates that the maintenance of immovable cultural relics should follow "the principles of keeping cultural relics in their original state," and minimal intervention shall be observed to ensure the authenticity and integrity of the cultural relics.

The reason why these bricks are treated with such care and caution is not simply that they are exquisite artifacts, but that they carry significant historical heritage of the country. Protecting these bricks that have already lived for centuries is an act of preserving the nation's historical legacy and ensuring they can be passed on to future generations.