Ancient temples in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, precious cultural treasures of the Tibetan ethnic group, are now well protected and managed thanks to the adoption of modern technology.

Since 1961, China has listed 27 cultural sites in Tibet as being under state-level protection, among which 25 are ancient temples and historical sites.

The central and regional governments have put great efforts into the repair and protection of cultural relics, including the Potala Palace, which was built 1,300 years ago, in the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

The Potala Palace, also on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List, is home to abundant historical relics, including 2,500-sq-m of frescoes, nearly 1,000 stupas, over 10,000 religious sculptures, over 10,000 specimens of tangka (a kind of scroll painting mounted on brocade, which developed out of mural painting in the 7th century and flourished from the 14th to 19th centuries).

The palace also houses a host of royal seals, gold objects, porcelain and jade wares, valuable sutras and other Buddhist scriptures written on pipal (palm leaves processed as paper).

According to an official with the management office of the Potala Palace, all of these precious Tibetan cultural relics used to be under the protection of watchmen, but now the wide use of modern technology, such as computerized video supervision systems ensure safer and more efficient protection and management for the palace. At the Potala Palace's management and supervision center, more than 20 computers and television monitors keep watch over the palace's treasures, the official said.

The center, which was set up in 1994, now provides round-the- clock monitoring for every hall and room in the palace, he said.

Meanwhile, the central government has invested heavily in the installation of a 24-hour automatic fire alarm system for the palace. In addition, computerized information and data about the palace will soon be available for visitors.

At many temples in Tibet VCDs featuring the historical relics and ethnic culture of Tibet are on offer.

It is learned that the regional government has invested nine million yuan to set up automatic anti-fire and anti-theft systems for Norbulinka, the traditional summer palace of the Dalai Lamas. Similar systems have also been installed in several other historical buildings and temples.

In recent years, the local government has spent eight million yuan in replacing hazardous electrical appliances and wires in seven temples in Tibet.

( China Daily March 13, 2002)