"It is the destiny of the expresser to be misunderstood."

Such was the message of a Chinese photographer allegedly in response to the outrage about the racy pictures of women that he took in the iconic Forbidden City in Beijing, China. According to an article by China Daily, Wang Dong used the handle "WANIMAL" in posting the said statement on China's popular microblogging Web site Weibo.

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The photos in question include two women in separate shots. One was wearing a revealing mini skirt and bending over the white marble handrail. A crowd of tourists can be seen from across the grounds. The other was stark naked and sitting on the 600-year-old marble head of a hornless dragon.  

In a quoted statement published by South China Morning Post, Wang said that he "was only doing his work and did not affect anyone."

Wang's pictures gained divided reactions from the public, especially on social media. Others remarked that his stint was an artistic expression, while many were shocked and outraged by what they deem is defamatory of the ancient relics.

Lawyer Liu Changsong, in an article by ECNS.cn, said that the photo shoot can be considered illegal if Wang failed to seek the permission of the Forbidden City management. If so, Wang may face cases of intentional public nudity and visual disturbance. China Daily reported that the Chinese law imposes imprisonment of five to 10 days on anyone who exposes his or her body or behaves indecently in public.

Li Chunhua, a teacher at the Zhejiang University of Media and Communication, shared with China Daily that sitting on relics is uncalled for and sets a negative precedent. This was seconded by tourism expert Liu Simin, who said that no one is allowed to climb on any ancient relic, whether with clothes or otherwise.

As of press time, officials of the Forbidden City have yet to issue a statement on whether they granted the photographer with the go signal for the shoot. Another tourism expert noted that even if Wang has the management's consent, the session must have been conducted when the museum was closed to the public or at a specific location without causing public disturbance.

Should the Forbidden City management decide that Wang's work is not a piece of art, he will be included in a tourist blacklist, added Simin.

TagsChina nude photo shoot, Forbidden City, Wang Dong