The ancient Marco Polo Bridge southwest of Beijing has suffered serious damage due to acid rain, according to a cultural expert. The 266 meter bridge, known in China as Lugou Bridge, is famous for its stone lions and as the site of an armed clash that triggered the start of the Second World War in Asia.

The world famous Marco Polo Bridge, scene of a 1937 Japanese attack that developed into a full-scale invasion of China and the start of the Second World War in Asia, has suffered serious damage due to acid rain, according to a cultural expert.

Luo Zhewen, an expert on cultural relics, warned that more than 20 percent of the stone lions on the bridge, known in China as the Lugou Bridge, have suffered serious damage due to weathering and pollution. He called for an immediate protection plan to be put in place.

The Marco Polo Bridge, southwest of Beijing, was built in 1192 and was mentioned by Marco Polo in his account of his 13th century journey to China. Over 500 stone lions were added to the bridge during a Qing Dynasty restoration. On July 8 1937 Japanese troops crossed the bridge on the pretext of searching for a missing soldier, in an attack that led to the fall of Beijing on July 29.

Luo told the Beijing Morning Post that acid rain and Beijing's worsening pollution over the past 20 years were to blame for much of the damage. He also said that tourists were damaging the statues and appealed to visitors not to touch or stroke the stone lions.

Most of the lion sculptures on the bridge have been damaged, according to Luo. Some have become dislodged or cracked, and around a dozen are in very bad condition. The engravings of many of the statues can no longer be seen clearly. Luo warned that weathering can cause serious damage, even over a relatively short period.

Luo called for an immediate protection plan to prevent further damage and carry out restoration. "We have to monitor environmental factors, and take periodic measurements. Damaged sculptures should be repaired to using the latest technology,"Luo said.

The Beijing Fengtai District Culture Commission said that severely damaged lions would be repaired.

The Lugou/Marco Polo Bridge has been repaired several times since the Liao and Jin Dynasties, using sandstone and white marble.

(China.org.cn by Yang Xi, February 26, 2009)