China News Service, Xi'an, August 13th, title: "Encounter" Millennium Murals in Taiqing, Shaanxi: I wish to clear the dust for the sake of Baobao
Author Yang Yingqi Han Qi
Standing in front of the operating table, Taiwanese youth Liu Yinzhu put on gloves and a mask, and carefully scraped off the soil in front of him in slow motion.
In the mural restoration laboratory of the Shaanxi History Museum, Liu Yinzhu has been repeating similar work for more than a month. When she introduced her work to a reporter from Chinanews.com, she was still enthusiastic.
Taiqing Liu Yinzhu is studying at the Institute of Museology and Antiquities Maintenance at Tainan University of the Arts. A few months ago, she took the initiative to contact the Shaanxi History Museum to get an internship opportunity.
When he first arrived in Shaanxi, a major province of cultural relics, he first came to the Shaanxi History Museum, which is known as the "Treasure House of China". Liu Yinzhu, who had a strong interest in history and culture, sighed that "it was a worthwhile trip".
"I rarely see such a long-standing cultural relic in Taiwan, so when I first faced the 'relict' from a thousand years ago and had the honor to participate in its restoration and protection work, I was both shocked and excited." Liu Yinzhu said happily.
Tang tomb murals have been covered for a long time. As "patients", they are both precious and "fragile". Even in the simplest "diagnosis" steps, staff need to change into work clothes and gloves first, and remove them with special machines. Dust and other impurities on the body.
Liu Yinzhu said that there are many procedures for the restoration of murals, including surface cleaning, surface missing filling and other steps, each step requires extreme patience and care.
The picture shows Liu Yinzhu making the filling material for the mural.
Photo by Yang Yingqi
Before the internship, Liu Yinzhu mainly focused on oil painting restoration. Now she has been with murals for more than a month, and she has a new experience.
"The preciousness of oil paintings is more reflected in aesthetics, while the murals show the value of history. Therefore, the restoration of murals aims to 'repair the old as old' and protect its precious historical features."
As a comprehensive history museum, the Shaanxi History Museum has collected more than 1.7 million pieces (groups) with a time span of more than one million years.
In his spare time, Liu Yinzhu rushes to the exhibition hall of the museum whenever he has the opportunity, and he never tires of it.
"In order to have a smooth internship, I deliberately learned a lot of historical knowledge. Now, when pictures and documents on the Internet actually appear in front of my eyes, this feeling of 'dream come true' makes me excited and in a trance."
In addition to the Shaanxi History Museum, the terracotta warriors and horses, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Xi'an City Wall and other historical sites have left the footprints of Liu Yinzhu.
"When I first came, I shared what I saw and heard with my relatives and friends in Taiwan almost every day. They were very curious about the history and culture here and said they must come in person if they have the opportunity."
In the view of "post-90s" Liu Yinzhu, history is a "required course" for young people's culture, and cultural relics protection is for a better "dialogue" with history.
Liu Yinzhu believes that "deepening our understanding of history and culture can help improve our cultural identity."
The picture shows Liu Yinzhu and his colleagues cleaning the plaster on the surface of the mural.
Photo by Yang Yingqi
"During this period of time with cultural relics, it is the greatest significance of my job to be able to preserve the 'legacy' left by our predecessors, so as to 'transfer' it to future generations." Liu Yinzhu told a reporter from Chinanews.com that cultural relics Although it is tangible, it also carries an intangible value that cannot be underestimated. "I am honored to touch the 'dust' of history, and I hope that these cultural relics can be 'transferred' by my hands to later generations and passed on from generation to generation."
Wang Jia, deputy director of the Department of Protection and Restoration of Shaanxi History Museum, said that working in the protection of cultural relics requires patience and perseverance. Liu Yinzhu has traveled thousands of miles to study, and there is no lack of enthusiasm for this trip.
"I hope she can bring the knowledge she has learned and experience in Shaanxi back to her hometown to deepen the cultural communication between the two sides of the strait. At the same time, we also welcome more young people from Taiwan to come here to exchange and learn."
In the future, Liu Yinzhu is still unsure whether to continue her studies or stay in the job, but she has always been firm that she will continue to work in the cultural relics protection industry. The power to be a good disseminator of cross-strait culture." (End)