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Preservation of Danfeng Gate completed

By Yuan Yue (China Daily Shaanxi Bureau)
Updated: 2010-01-25 18:12
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Repairs of "the top city gate of the glorious Tang Dynasty" were completed on Jan 20, marking a milestone for the construction of Daming Palace National Ruins Park in Xi'an.

Both the height and scale of Danfeng Gate tops the all the city gates in ancient China, surpassing that of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, and thus is of great archeological value. The gate occupies an area of 7,699 square meters and an overall floor space of 11,474 square meters.

Light brown, which represents the royal family, was chosen as the exterior color to illustrate the magnificent momentum of the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD). A museum is also being constructed inside the gate for visitors and research purposes.

The design of the gate, the first large-scale single project commenced in the ruins park, was shouldered by Zhang Jinqiu, a member of the China Engineering Academy who is renowned for her "neo-Tang" style. The project's goal is to display the charm of Xi'an while maintaining the character of this ancient city.

"The completion (of the project) will help the city center of Xi'an - from Daming Palace to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda via the railway station - to achieve a new maturity," an analyst said.

"The gate will probably become another landmark of Xi'an."