"It is a great discovery," said Han Wei, a researcher with the Academy of Archaeology of west China's Shaanxi Province, in an interview with the Phoenix TV Station. "It is the largest seven-treasure King Ayu reliquary (made of seven kinds of materials such as gold, silver, colored glaze, agate and amber) found in China up to now, three times the height of and four times the width of a similar relic found at the underground palace near the Leifeng Tower in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province," he said.

Other treasures were also found in the iron box, including a gourd-shape device, a vessel and a great number of copper coins. Archaeologists guessed that there might be something significant inside the unearthed items.

Currently, the main body and the base of the reliquary have not been unearthed, but experts said that some treasures, such as remains of the head of the Buddha that were recorded on the stele might be preserved inside the relic.

"I believe that with further research, there will be more important discoveries," Han said.

But the experts also pointed out that it is still uncertain whether the treasures can be taken out of the reliquary, as it is very likely welded to the iron box. The same situation occurred with the one found near the Leifeng Tower in Hangzhou. As it was welded directly to the case that contains it, scientists have not opened it up to now, in order to protect the rare cultural relic, though historic documents and the steles unearthed together with it said that there were a lot of important items, including the remains of Buddha's hair, contained inside the relic.

Archaeologists are now very concerned that if it remains in the iron box, it may be oxidized by oxygen getting into the box. Currently removal methods are being examined.

Only when the relic is completely removed from its iron casing, will people really know what is contained in this centuries-old national treasure.

(Beijing Review August 26, 2008)