China to restore murals of largest Taoist temple

TAIYUAN - The restoration of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) murals in Yongle Palace, the largest Taoist temple in China, will be launched in 2020, local authorities said Saturday.

Yongle Palace, built in Yuan Dynasty, is located in Ruicheng county of Yuncheng, a city in North China's Shanxi province. The total area of murals preserved there is more than 1,005 square meters.

Among numerous mural paintings in the palace, the paintings of Heavenly Court (Chaoyuan tu), known as "Oriental Gallery," is the best known. Measuring 97 meters long and 4.4 meters high, it features 290 Taoist figures.

Workers have completed the digital collection of the murals, monitored and analyzed the surrounding temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide level before the restoration began, said Xi Jiulong, head of Shanxi's Yongle Palace mural preservation research institute.

"The restoration will involve cleaning the bird droppings, dust and spider webs on the surface, and repairing the damages," Xi Jiulong said. "The original style and color of the murals shall be ensured."

Now, the local government is striving to build Yongle Palace into a first-class tourist attraction within five years. The restoration of murals is one of the necessary steps.

The restoration is expected to be completed in three years, Xi Jiulong said.