A digital center to support the protection of ancient murals in
the grottoes of Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, has been set up in the
Dunhuang Research Institute.
Wang Xudong, deputy director of the institute, said the center
will collect and store information about the murals in digital
format, which can be displayed and which will help the repair
process of the murals.
The institute recognizes the importance of the use of digital
technologies in the protection of cultural relics, Wang said.
Dating from 336 AD, the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, also known
as the Caves of 1,000 Buddhas, are a UNESCO world heritage
site.
To date, a total of 735 caves and over 2,000 colored Buddha
statues have been discovered and frescos on the inside wall cover
an area of approximately 45,000 square meters.
The Mogao Grottoes are located on the eastern slope of Rattling
Sand Mountain in the southeast of Dunhuang County in Gansu
Province.
(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2006)