利用新技术保护文物

Public museums in China have been introducing new technology in order to restore items that need attention.

Jingzhou in central China's Hubei Province is well-known as an ancient city where many historical relics have been unearthed. In 2007, a collection of silk fabrics were excavated from a tomb that dates back to the Han Dynasty, some 2,000 years ago. After years of work, experts have been able to restore them using biotechnology.

At the Nanjing Museum which is the second largest museum in China, more restoration work has been taking place. Ancient books and calligraphy works are an integral part of the museum's collection, but these items are fragile and threatened when exposed to light and humidity changes.

"We have used different types of technology to store these relics, including sterile rooms. We can regulate the temperature and humidity to ensure it best suits the items," said Wan Li, a researcher at Nanjing Museum.

How organisations can sympathetically restore and protect relics for future generations to enjoy is an important subject to address.

"Nearly 50 percent of our country's relics are in danger of corrosion. So it's a good thing that new technology is gradually being introduced to the area of relic protection and restoration," said Song Xinchao at the State Admin. of Cultural Heritage.

The administration is currently establishing 22 research bases in various public museums around the country to further the protection of these relics.