Northwest China's Shaanxi Province invested 1.3 billion yuan
(US$157 million) and launched 10 important projects to protect
cultural relics, marking the 20th anniversary of the Law on
Cultural Relics Protection.
The projects include renovating the Yellow Emperor's mausoleum,
Emperor Qin Shi Huang's palace, the Shaanxi History Museum, the
Xiyue Temple and the Banpo Museum, protecting the site of the
Daming Palace and constructing the Yangling Mausoleum, the Shaanxi
History Museum's Tang Dynasty (618-907) funerary fresco hall, the
Forest of Stone Steles Museum and the Famen Temple. All projects
are scheduled for completion within the next three to five
years.
The cultural relics involved in these projects are famous
worldwide. The Yellow Emperor is the grandfather of China and
renovation of his mausoleum has attracted worldwide attention.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang's palace is the nation's largest ruin park.
The building of Hanyuan Hall in the Daming Palace is sponsored by
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO). The Yangling Mausoleum of Western Han
(206BC-25AD) Emperor Liu Qi is the first one of the four cultural
scenic sites to be built in the province. The Shaanxi History
Museum is China's first modern museum and its fresco hall will be
the largest of its kind in the world. The Xiyue Temple is called
Xiaogugong (Lesser Palace Museum), a famous scenic spot at the foot
of the Huashan Mountain. The Banpo Museum is the country's first
relic museum and its exhibition hall will have a new look. The
Forest of Stone Steles Museum is the first museum of the province
especially dedicated to stone carving exhibit.
China promulgated the Law on Cultural Relics Protection 20 years
ago and amended it in 2002. Shaanxi Province will hold other
campaigns to enhance the public's awareness and promote the
protection of cultural relics.
(china.org.cn by Feng Yikun December 12, 2002)