The Greek Ministry of Culture on Tuesday donated a replica of an ancient marble statue named Peplophoros to a Chinese museum that is under construction in Beijing.

The donation ceremony was held between the Greek Embassy to China and the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), sponsor of the Museum of Chinese Women and Children, the only national museum of women and children in the country.

To underline the aim of the museum, which is to promote development, friendship and cooperation among nations, the Greek Ministry of Culture chose the statue of Peplophoros, also named Peplos Kore, one of the finest archaic korai dedicated to the goddess Athena, said Theodoros Georgakelos, Greek Ambassador to China.

"The statue will be displayed in the International Friendship Hall of the museum among other statues donated by other countries," said Mu Hong, deputy director-general of the International Liaison Department of the ACWF.

Mu said the museum was scheduled to open before Oct. 1 this year, the National Day of China.

"The original statue belongs to the Acropolis Museum," said Georgakelos. Peplophoros wears Doric peplos, a simple unpleated garment, hence her name. The young woman is portrayed frontally and her short peplos is fastened over both shoulders. The statue's radiant face is highlighted with red paint on the eyes, lips and long hair.

As described on the Acropolis Museum Web site, "this work of circa 525 BC must have come from the chisel of a great artist of the era."

(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2009)