County congress stresses cultural relic protection

An inspection team, headed by the standing committee of the local congress, investigated the implementation of the cultural relic protection law in Pingyao county, Jinzhong city, in Shanxi province, from July 2-5.

The inspection team visited 39 cultural relic protection organizations. It provided constructive suggestions and advice to improve cultural relic protection work after hearing about the difficulties Pingyao had in protecting cultural relics since 2011.

Hao Jianxin, deputy director of the standing committee of the Pingyao congress, urged relevant departments and individuals to improve awareness of cultural relic protection and become cultural relic protection professionals by gaining knowledge of the profession.

Cultural relics in rural areas should receive better supervision to ensure their safety. The social value and function of cultural relics should be rationally developed so as to facilitate the development of tourism and other industries, said Hao.

Pingyao has attached great importance to protecting cultural relics during recent years by better documenting cultural relics, improving public awareness, streamlining management of museums and more actively applying for higher levels of protection.

At present, the ancient county boasts 1,075 sites of immovable cultural relics, among which 19 are under national protection, one is under provincial protection, four are under city protection and 96 are under county protection.

Edited by Michael Thai