Over 200 experts and scholars from the United States, Britain, Australia, Germany, Japan, India, Singapore as well as China gathered on Monday at the renowned Mogao Grottoes in northwest China's Gansu Province to discuss the conservation and restoration of grotto and fresco relics.

The six-day Second International Conference on the Conservation of Grotto Sites, cosponsored by the Dunhuang Academy and the US Getty Conservation Institute, will focus on the protection and management of cultural heritage along the ancient Silk Road, the conservation and research on fresco art, and relevant environmental, meteorological, historical and art research, said Deputy Director Tong Mingkang of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage at the opening ceremony.

The Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, which boast over 1,000 Buddha sculptures, was among the first Chinese cultural relics included in 1987 on the World Cultural Heritage list by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

As early as 1944, a special institution was set up to protect the Mogao Grottoes. In the early days of protection, some simple work was done to conserve and salvage the endangered cultural relics, but recently advanced scientific and technological means have been introduced and tried to protect the precious heritage more effectively, said Director Fan Jinshi of the Dunhuang Academy.

Now remarkable achievement has been made in fields of cultural relic security, fresco repair, environmental supervision and grotto management, and Mogao has become a model for the efficient conservation and reasonable use of the Chinese cultural relics, Fan said.

The Dunhuang Academy has actively participated in all sorts of international cooperation to better protect the Grottoes since 1980s. In 1988 the Dunhuang Academy and the US Getty Conservation Institute started their exchanges and cooperation in this field, and in 1993 they jointly hosted the first International Conference on the Conservation of Grotto Sites.

The Dunhuang Academy and the Tokyo-based National Research Institute for Cultural Properties have also made joint efforts to protect Caves 53 and 194. Thanks to international aid, the Dunhuang Academy successfully fulfilled the digital reproduction of grotto fresco art that can prevent the frescos from being damaged by carbon dioxide and moisture exhaled by visitors.

"The truly sustainable, truly meaningful conservation requires a lengthy and deep commitment and no one organization can succeed by itself," said Director Tim Whalen of the Getty Conservation Institute at the meeting.
 
(Xinhua News Agency June 29, 2004)