When a letter from 46 students and a donation of 219.5 yuan flew across rivers and mountains from east China to the Dunhuang Research Institute in the west, employees of the institute were moved.

"The world heritage of Dunhuang should be cared about by the whole society, and we're indeed impressed by the 46 kids' letter in which they expressed their sincere desire to protect Dunhuang,"said Fan Jinshi, director of the Dunhuang Research Institute.

At the end of last month, the children, from Changzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province sent the donation (US$26.5) for the repair of the Mogao Grottoes.

"When the Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang are well preserved, people from China and the whole world can appreciate them; when they face difficulties, we the kids have the obligation to help protect  them," said the 46 pupils in their letter.

The letter arrived at the Dunhuang Research Institute days ago,and it was then publicized at the institute's website.

"When I read their babyish handwriting, a warm current ran over my body," said Gu Shuyan, a young staffer with the institute.

Director Fan said the students' letter indicates the protection of Dunhuang has aroused the attention of the whole society. "We will make good use of every coin donated by them for the protection of Dunhuang," he said.

Fan said the institution has decided to write a letter to these kids soon and send them each a book on Dunhuang culture and a new year's card printed with pictures of Dunhuang.

The Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang are popularly known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, whose frescos, painted on the ceiling and walls of the caves, carry the best preserved troves of Buddhist art in the world.

The Mogao Grottoes consist of some 500 man-made caves that have survived some 1,600 years of volatile climate changes and other damage. They were carved out of the rocks, 25 km to the southeast of the 2,000-year-old Dunhuang town, once a vital caravan stop on the ancient Silk Road linking Central Asia with China.

Fan said the Mogao Grottoes were added to the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 1987, through which they got many donations from overseas agencies for the protection of the caves.

It is the first time Chinese students have donated to Dunhuang,said Fan. He believes more and more Chinese people will join the efforts to better protect China's cultural heritage.

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2004)