This undated photo shows a typical ancient residential building in Huangshan city. The city is seeking adopters worldwide who can help protecting the architectural relics.

Huangshan city in eastern China's Anhui Province, where the UNESCO world heritage site Mount Huangshan is located, is adopting a new way to protect its cultural relics.

Xinhua News Agency says the city will soon kick off a system of global solicitation for adopters who wish to protect its thousands of ancient residential buildings.

Adopters will be granted the rights of habitation and use, while at the same time being responsible for maintaining the architectural styles and structures of the sites.

Preferred adopters are organizations, families and individuals.

The report didn't say how much one needs to pay to adopt a building.

The plan comes when financial problems has become obstacles to city governments preserving certain buildings, many of which have survived for hundreds of years.

Xinhua says that these cultural relics are under the threat of vanishing, with over 100 examples of ancient architecture being bought every year by real estate developers - who turn them into modern villas.

Local historical experts say the adoption solution will be effective in both releasing the government's financial burden and raising the public's awareness of the need for cultural protection.

(CRI.cn May 23, 2007)