China will spend USD 500,000 to restore a 1,500-year-old grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in northwest China's Gansu Province which has been severely damaged by natural erosion, officials said.
The Maijishan Grottoes or Wheat Stack Hill consists of almost 200 caves and more than 10,000 Buddhist sculptures.
"Restoration of the six caves will be completed in November," Yue Yongqiang, Deputy Director of the preservation division of Maijishan Grottoes art institute said.
Due to natural humidity and erosion, cracks have appeared on some caves and some sculptures and murals are in a state of decay, said Yue.
The restorationwill cost 3.3 million yuan (about USD 500,000).
"Around 60 percent of caves at Maijishan are in need of restoration. Since 2000, we have restored 17 caves, roughly one cave each year. Work on these caves will be accelerated," Yue added.
Maijishan Grottoes is one of China's four largest Buddhist cave complexes, along with Mogao, Yungang and Longmen grottoes in Gansu, Shanxi and Henan provinces.
