The 2,500-year-old city of Yangzhou in east China will build 10 museums and exhibition halls to "show off its charm," an official of the municipal government said.
"The project plan has taken form after consultation attended by relevant officers and experts, and will be implemented soon," said the official.
The 10 expected museums on basis of ancient architecture include a folk collection exhibition hall, a traditional Chinese medical science museum, a city industry museum, a Yangzhou-style potted landscape exhibition hall, an animal specimens museum, a Yangzhou cuisine museum, a canal culture museum, a Buddhism museum, a bridge museum and an art exhibition center.
As one of the first group of 24 famous historic and cultural cities of China announced by the State Council in 1982, Yangzhou boasts an array of well-preserved ancient architecture, which the local government considers has not displayed its value.
"The government spent three years renovating the old architecture, such as temples and the ancients' former residences, which have not opened to the public," said the official. "They can easily become museums as long as being remodeled a little, which is a good way of protection."
Yangzhou is located in the center of east China's Jiangsu Province, about 80 kilometers away from Jiangsu's capital of Nanjing. It was the largest city in east China during the flourishing Tang Dynasty (618-907).
(Shanghai Daily March 3, 2005)
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