Beijing plans to launch protection projects for 32 cultural relic sites in the city as part of its "culture-enriched Olympics" program, as learned from Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage. A total fund near 300 million yuan is expected to be put into these projects, including 120 million yuan from the city government and the rest from district governments and private organizations.
Repair and reinforcement work at some world cultural heritage sites will continue, such as at the Pavilion of the Fragrance of Buddha, Summer Palace, the Tai Tomb of the 13 Ming tombs and the Huairou and Miyun sections of the Great Wall.
Stress is also laid on improving the city environment by repairing a batch of cultural relic sites including Zhengyangmen, or South Facing Gate, and its Arrow Tower at the central axis, the Temple of Heaven and the Temple of Earth at the city proper, Fahai Temple, Cishan Temple, and Chengen Temple in west Beijing as well as the Jiaozhuanghu memorial site of tunnel warfare during the War of Resistance Against Japan (1937-1945). Hidden perils leading to insecurity will also be removed in 11 cultural relic protection sites such as the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Jietai Temple and the former residence of Kang Youwei.
The capital city started the protection program of "culture-enriched Olympics" in 2003, planning to invest 600 million yuan during five years to overhaul cultural relic sites throughout Beijing to restore its traditional look before the year 2008.
(People's Daily April 5, 2005)
