Chinese, French experts collaborate to restore ancient building

Chinese and French cultural experts will cooperate to restore Gongshutang, a cultural relic site under state protection in China's ancient city of Xi'an.

The news was announced at a seminar on Sino-French cultural heritage preservation in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province on Thursday.

The site has several problems, including skewing, microbial disease, discoloration, as well as rot and moth damage, which need to be urgently restored.

"We have monitored the environment and investigated the biological damage at Gongshutang, for the preparation of the restoration program," said Zhou Ping, a cultural relics researcher with Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics Protection.

Zhou said that Chinese and French experts would research the traditional crafts of colored drawing and the ingredients of the adhesives in the building.

Gongshutang was built during the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in memory of a legendary craftsman Lu Ban, who is believed to have invented or improved many carpenter's tools.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)