Early this September, the last group of experts from China’s inland
left Lhasa, the capital city of the Tibet Autonomous Region, to end
a multi-disciplinary effort to survey and map the Potala Palace,
Norbu Lingka, and
Samye Monastery
before they are renovated. The restoration plan is expected to be
finished by the end of September. According to the experts,
renovations will cost several hundred million yuan, the largest
investment ever in the country’s history.
The central government has decided to preserve the three
internationally-known sites to protect traditional Tibetan culture
and promote tourism, and a special office has been established for
the protection and preservation of all key historic sites in Tibet.
More than 70 experts have joined together in the office from such
places as the China Cultural Relic Research, Henan Ancient Building
Research, Hebei Ancient Building Research and Qinghua University.
They have spent over two months on surveying and mapping the three
cultural sites. To make effective, rational and scientific use of
the preservation funds, the state will formally allocate them after
the plan is evaluated and approved by authorities.
A
Tibetan historical and cultural treasure built in 7th century, the
Potala Palace served as a residence for Dalai Lamas for
generations. However, for hundreds of years, cabbages and other
wastes from the palace were dumped nearby, and the structure has
been decaying -- despite being reinforced twice, in 1989 and
1994.
Parts of the palace began to buckle thanks to a prolonged rainy
season and some walls collapsed in a mudslide on the mountain where
the Potala Palace stands. In mid -July, the cracks were found in
the slope facing the palace. A few days after the celebration of
the 50 anniversary of Tibet’s peaceful liberation, one of the side
walls of the palace fell and only quick action by experts avoided a
big loss.
Mice also have caused trouble. Many relics and images of Buddhas
are protected by glass. But pillars and beams have fallen into a
dangerous state perhaps in part because Lhasa is located at seismic
belt that is prone to earthquakes, big and small. In any case, the
over thousand-year-old palace seems to be in a decrepit state.
Meanwhile, the Norbu Lingka and Samye Monastery will also be
renovated. The Norbu Lingka, the biggest and integral Tibetan style
Garden, has served as the summer palace for Dalai Lamas. The Samye
Monastery, built in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), is a famous
monastery and was also the site of early local administrative
government. Both the palaces also are in bad shape with
deteriorating structures and frescos left rotting and vulnerable to
pests.
Last year, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage organized
experts to investigate the Potala Palace who subsequently reported
over 50 dangers. They unanimously agreed that the palace must have
a total renovation.
The renovation of the famous monasteries and religious sites will
bring Tibet great economic and social beneficiations. The number of
tourists to Tibet is increasing year by year. Over 100,000 tourists
visited Tibet last year. As of August, the figure has doubled that
this year. Ancient monasteries and sites have been indispensable
tourism resources.
(China Youth Daily report translated for china.ogr.cn by unisumoon
September 28, 2001)