Heritage unearthed from power station site

Archeologists have unearthed nearly 100,000 relics in six years of excavations to make way for a new power station in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Discovered in a 31,080-square-meter area in Hanyuan and Ganluo counties, some of the relics have been dated as far back as the Paleolithic Age while the newer pieces have been traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), said Zhou Kehua, deputy chief of the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Archeology.

The excavations began in 2004 and were completed this year, making way for the Pubugou Power Station, a landmark project in China's efforts to develop its western regions.

Hefty investment to preserve ancient grotto

China plans to spend 70 million yuan to preserve a 1,600-year-old grotto housing Buddha statues and frescoes in northwest China's Gansu Province, the local government said.

The preservation project, jointly launched by Beijing-based Tsinghua University and the administrative committee of the Tiantishan Grotto in Wuwei City, will be carried out in three phases and take 21 years, said Lu Xiushan, an official with the committee.

"We'll start with Cave No. 13, which houses the largest number of treasures, including a 15-meter-tall statue of Sakyamuni," he said.

The grotto consists of 18 caves, most of which have been damaged by birds and erosion.

"We'll drive away the birds and repair the damaged statues and frescoes step by step."

Over the longer term, we will use high-tech devices to better protect the site, said Lu. "We'll refer to Dunhuang's experience in this regard."

Tiantishan Grotto is believed to have been be built between 401 and 439 AD and is one of the oldest grottoes in China.

(Xinhua News Agency June 22, 2010)