LANZHOU, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Repair work is proceeding smoothly at the grottoes in the northwestern Chinese city of Dunhuang, including the UNESCO world heritage site the Mogao Grottoes, the Dunhuang Academy said on Thursday.
The academy has launched nearly 30 projects this year to restore the city's dilapidated grotto caves as well as the murals and sculptures they contain.
More than 10 caves of the Mogao Grottoes are being comprehensively repaired, and around 30 are under regular maintenance, according to Guo Qinglin, director of the academy's protection and research institute.
The millennium-old Mogao Grottoes are home to a vast collection of Buddhist artworks -- more than 2,000 colored sculptures and 45,000 square meters of murals are located in 735 caves, carved along the cliffs by ancient worshippers.
The academy said the repair projects have been supported by both government funds and private donations.
Earlier this month, the academy received a donation of 9 million yuan (about 1.4 million U.S. dollars) from a charity foundation based in south China's Guangdong Province. The money will be used to protect and restore the Yulin Grottoes in Dunhuang.
China attaches great importance to the protection of its many ancient grotto temples. In early November, the State Council issued a set of guidelines to improve the conservation and make better use of grotto temples across the country. Enditem
