Thanks to efficient protection by the local government, a 1,300-year-old temple in southwest China's Yunnan Province is in good condition, attracting flocks of domestic and overseas visitors.

The Nanzhao Main Temple, oldest in Yunnan, was built in 714 on the Weibao Hill in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture.

According to Chinese architects, the Xuanzong Emperor of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) conferred titles of kingship on Xinuluo, the first king of the Nanzhao Kingdom, and built the temple for the king.

Experts said that the temple is not only a tourist attraction but also valuable for studying the history and culture of Yunnan in the Tang Dynasty.

(Eastday.com 03/07/2001)