Old Summer Palace stones to be reinforced

The surviving remnants of columns and gates in Beijing's Yuanmingyuan - or Old Summer Palace - will be reinforced to prevent them from collapsing, park officials said on Wednesday.

The ruins have been preserved for nearly 160 years as a symbol of the nation's collective pain after they were destroyed by foreign military forces in the mid-19th century.

Foundations of the stone remnants in the ruins of Yuanying Guan (Immense Ocean Observatory) will be strengthened as part of the project, which will last until late September, according to the administrative office of Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park.