As the first test site of Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China, the fresco restoration project of Cave 85 in Mogao Grottoes, northwest China's Gansu Province, has seen great advancement, said sources with the Dunhuang Academy on Tuesday.

The statement was made at the Conservation of Ancient Sites on the Silk Road, Second International Conference on the Conservation of Grotto Sites, which is being held at Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang City of Gansu.

"Now the frescos on the west wall of Cave 85 have been restored, and the rest of the work is expected to be completed in the spring of 2005," said Qiao Hai, a research member with the Dunhuang Academy.

The restoration work was made under the direction of the general plan of Mogao Grottoes conservation and management, which was established in 1999 according to the Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China.

"The principles, formally issued in 2002, are the common achievements of the National Administration of Cultural Heritage, the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) from the US and the Australian Heritage Commission (AHC) since 1999, with the aim to establish a general standard for the heritage conservation work in China," said Fan Jinshi, director of the Dunhuang Academy.

"It was made by referring to foreign cultural heritage conservation experiences, but was completely and specifically for China," said Timothy Whalen, director of the GCI.

Representing nearly all typical damage problems of Dunhuang frescos, especially surface layer turning crisp and layer scaling, Cave 85, which boasts precious fresco resources and has undergone two large-scale unsuccessful restoration in the past, was selected as the first test site of the principles, said Fan.

"All the conservation work of Cave 85, from the background material collection and investigation to the evaluation of conservation values, protection status quo and management, and the establishment of project goals and measures, which was made cooperatively by professionals from the Dunhuang Academy and the GCI, is made according to the thoughts and proceedings suggested in the principles," said Fan.

"So far, the practice of the principles in Cave 85 has made great achievements, including the investigation methods, the analysis of damage causing mechanism and the selection of restoration material and techniques," said Fan.

"Fresco restoration is a long and challenging work," said Qiao, who has worked at the cave for five years.

"But the experiences working with colleagues from GCI under the direction of the principles is excellent, as I have not only learnt advanced techniques, but also scientific concepts and strict working procedures," said Qiao.

"The practice in Cave 85 has established a model for the conservation of Mogao Grottoes, which has not only found solutions to many difficulties in the Mogao Grottoes conservation itself, but also of great significance to the conservation of other grottoes and ancient cultural heritage on the Silk Road and even around China," said Timothy Whalen.

Sponsored by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the Dunhuang Academy and GCI, the conference which began on June 28 will last for six days, during which over 200 experts from a dozen countries meet to discuss grotto conservation around the world. The first International Conference on the Conservation of Grotto Sites was held in 1993.
 
(Xinhua News Agency June 30, 2004)