Shanxi Province has 119 cultural relic sites, the highest number under State protection,according to latest issue of Beijing Review.

Shanxi boasts the most ancient architectures in China. With more than 18,000 old buildings, it is known as a treasure house of Chinese ancient architecture. As the province has 12,000 painted sculptures from all dynasties, experts and scholars praised it as a museum of colored modeling art. The province also ranks first in the country in its number of cultural heritages dating back to prehistoric times.

Current statistics show that Shanxi has 35,000 unmovable cultural relics, 500,000 collected relic items and five historical and cultural cities under State protection. There are also 352 cultural units under provincial protection, and 5,600 under city and county protection.

(Beijing Review December 6, 2001)