Govt urged to protect ancient weather stations

The government should develop a plan to protect the country's ancient meteorological stations, a political adviser said.

Qin Dahe, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, called for a joint effort from meteorological, cultural-relics and environmental-protection departments to better protect the historical meteorological stations around the country.

Qin, an academic with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that without a thorough check of the observatories, only a few will be protected.

The country does not have a complete database of the stations, he said.

"Urbanization and the construction of new rural areas, together with frequent natural disasters and corrosion, pose a serious threat to the relics," Qin said.

"It's necessary for the country to come up with a thorough investigation and check of the ancient stations to better protect them."

The ruins are not only a symbol of scientific culture, but also a historical source of the historic atmosphere, hydrology and earthquakes. Every station has massive, irreplaceable cultural information about the local area, Qin said.