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All 340 ancient stone sculptures and celebrity inscriptions on a mountain resort in Hangzhou City of Zhejiang Province were photographed on Tuesday as valuable references for further protection efforts.
The sculptures, more than 1,000 years old, on the "Peak That Flows Here" have been widely taken as important examples of ancient sculptural art south of the Yangtze River.
Due to years of water erosion and efflorescence, some of them have begun to break down. Experts believe these delicate Buddhist statues will lose their definition or be unrecognizable in 50 years if no effective protection measures are taken now.
However, compared with the country's sculptures in dry areas such as the Yungang and Longmen Grottos, these works of art are much more prone to water erosion as the southern China is rainy and humid.
The landscape on the "Peak That Flows Here" is complicated and the sculptures there are too scattered, experts say.
To solve the difficulty, topographers from local survey and design departments have spent two months on the peak, recording the cracks and water erosion points on every sculpture.
Once computerized, the information will not only preserve the status quo of sculptures but also allow experts to map out a rescuing program much more easily.
(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2003)
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