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| Tourists take a camel ride to explore the Gobi desert in Dunhuang, a key stop on the ancient Silk Road. [Photo/China Daily] |
The surface of the relics is sprayed with anti-weathering material developed by the Conservation Institute of Dunhuang Academy, which has been responsible for the conservation of major sites on the Silk Road, while the cracks are filled with grouting materials.
A total of 5 million yuan ($803,000) has been invested in the monitoring system that records the temperature and humidity of the relics.
"The dry climate in the area makes it easier to preserve earthen ruins. It would have been impossible in the south," says Guo Qinglin, deputy director of the Conservation Institute of Dunhuang Academy.
To allow people to better understand the value of the relics, a large-scale renovation of the sites was launched in 2006.
Until the early 1980s, the Big Fangpan Castle in the Yumen Pass was used as a sheepfold for the local farmers, says He Guowu, head of the administration office of the Yumen Pass.
In 2012, Cai and his team started restoration work on the site. Mines near the site were shut down. Now people can follow the wooden trestle that leads into the castle, where a glass-clad platform has been built so visitors can see the interior of the castle without causing damage.
The high steel fence around the castle has been replaced with knee-high steel posts, allowing a better view. "The substitute is rather simple and cheap, but it has been proved very effective," says Cai.
The administration house has been painted with brown earth, which blends with its surroundings.
While severe sandstorms are rare, the fact they can be a threat has led to calls to provide a better environment for the relics. In the Suo-yang City ruins in Guazhou county, the biggest threat is sandstorms.
Next year, the county will invest 2.8 million yuan to develop a sand-blocking dam, put down grass grids and plant more than 50,000 trees near the Suoyang City ruins to conserve water and reduce wind abrasion.
Cai's team has designed a whole defense system specifically for the site, which surrounds the ruins with three layers of plants of ascending heights to slow down the wind approaching the site.
But they need more technicians who can work onsite on a daily basis, says Xie Yanming, head of the management office of the Suoyang City ruins.
"People come and go. Few of them will stay in the desert," he says.
Twenty-eight people were hired in the past six months. Most of them work two or more jobs. The bookkeeper also works as cashier while the tour guides work as receptionists.
"There are too few technicians at the site. If the small problems can be solved in time, the big ones will be avoided," says Guo from the Conservation Institute of Dunhuang Academy.
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