Early this September, the last group of experts from China’s inland left Lhasa, the capital city of the Tibet Autonomous Region, to end a multi-disciplinary effort to survey and map the Potala Palace, Norbu Lingka, and Samye Monastery before they are renovated. The restoration plan is expected to be finished by the end of September. According to the experts, renovations will cost several hundred million yuan, the largest investment ever in the country’s history.

The central government has decided to preserve the three internationally-known sites to protect traditional Tibetan culture and promote tourism, and a special office has been established for the protection and preservation of all key historic sites in Tibet. More than 70 experts have joined together in the office from such places as the China Cultural Relic Research, Henan Ancient Building Research, Hebei Ancient Building Research and Qinghua University. They have spent over two months on surveying and mapping the three cultural sites. To make effective, rational and scientific use of the preservation funds, the state will formally allocate them after the plan is evaluated and approved by authorities.

A Tibetan historical and cultural treasure built in 7th century, the Potala Palace served as a residence for Dalai Lamas for generations. However, for hundreds of years, cabbages and other wastes from the palace were dumped nearby, and the structure has been decaying -- despite being reinforced twice, in 1989 and 1994.

Parts of the palace began to buckle thanks to a prolonged rainy season and some walls collapsed in a mudslide on the mountain where the Potala Palace stands. In mid -July, the cracks were found in the slope facing the palace. A few days after the celebration of the 50 anniversary of Tibet’s peaceful liberation, one of the side walls of the palace fell and only quick action by experts avoided a big loss.

Mice also have caused trouble. Many relics and images of Buddhas are protected by glass. But pillars and beams have fallen into a dangerous state perhaps in part because Lhasa is located at seismic belt that is prone to earthquakes, big and small. In any case, the over thousand-year-old palace seems to be in a decrepit state.

Meanwhile, the Norbu Lingka and Samye Monastery will also be renovated. The Norbu Lingka, the biggest and integral Tibetan style Garden, has served as the summer palace for Dalai Lamas. The Samye Monastery, built in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), is a famous monastery and was also the site of early local administrative government. Both the palaces also are in bad shape with deteriorating structures and frescos left rotting and vulnerable to pests.

Last year, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage organized experts to investigate the Potala Palace who subsequently reported over 50 dangers. They unanimously agreed that the palace must have a total renovation.

The renovation of the famous monasteries and religious sites will bring Tibet great economic and social beneficiations. The number of tourists to Tibet is increasing year by year. Over 100,000 tourists visited Tibet last year. As of August, the figure has doubled that this year. Ancient monasteries and sites have been indispensable tourism resources.

(China Youth Daily report translated for china.ogr.cn by unisumoon September 28, 2001)