Japanese-style restaurant closed in Tianshui for violating cultural heritage protection

A Japanese-style restaurant in Tianshui's ancient city has been closed for rectification after the city's authorities found that the restaurant had violated cultural heritage protection laws.

The restaurant was located in a courtyard house that was renovated as part of a larger project to restore the ancient city in Gansu province. However, the renovation did not protect the cultural heritage of the courtyard house, and the restaurant was found to have made changes that damaged the structure.

For example, the restaurant had installed fingerprint punch-in devices on the pillars of the courtyard house, which experts say has made the pillars more vulnerable to damage from rainwater. The restaurant had also set up a color-steel kitchen in the backyard, which is not allowed in cultural heritage buildings.

In addition to the damage to the courtyard house, the authorities also found that the restaurant had created fire hazards. The restaurant was using gas stoves and liquefied gas in the kitchen, which is prohibited in cultural heritage buildings.

The Tianshui authorities have promised to take comprehensive measures to rectify the problems in the ancient city, including conducting safety hazard inspections and remediation, providing training on cultural heritage protection to businesses, and investigating any negligence or wrongdoing.

The case has drawn attention to the need to protect cultural heritage in China. In recent years, there have been a number of cases of cultural heritage being damaged or destroyed due to negligence or mismanagement.