Thursday, November 17, 2005

Archaeologists rescuing relics for Three Gorges Dam

Following the unprecedented excavation of cultural relics for the Three Gorges Dam project, Chinese archaeologists are once again running against the clock to dig and relocate numerous of treasures facing inundation as the massive south-to-north water diversion project breaks ground.

Representatives from 51 qualified archeological agencies across the country vowed Thursday to win a special campaign to rescue such a large number of tombs, temples and other cultural sites for China's largest ever water project.

"We should assume responsibility towards our history and show our determination for cultural relics protection," Shan Jixiang, director of State Bureau of Cultural Relics (SBCR), said at a mobilization conference held Thursday in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province.