[Explanation] The Dazu Rock Carvings, a world cultural heritage, are one of the eight major grottoes in the world.
Over the past 70 years, with social development and technological progress, Dazu Rock Carvings have basically formed an all-round protection pattern from the protection of cultural relics, the restoration of painted paintings, the reinforcement of dangerous rocks, the management of water damage, the construction of three-dimensional digitalization and monitoring systems.
What is the value and significance of Dazu Rock Carvings in the distribution of cave temples in the world?
Its protection, how to attract international forces to join?
What international friendly exchanges and cooperation have brought to Dazu Rock Carvings?
Li Fangyin, Dean of the Dazu Rock Carving Research Institute, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency's "East and West Questions".
[Subtitles] The Dazu Rock Carvings were included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO as early as 1999, and are currently the only world cultural heritage in Chongqing.
What status and value does it have in the pattern of world cave temples?
[Concurrent] Li Fangyin, Dean of Dazu Rock Carving Research Institute
The cave temples were introduced to China from India.
Around the 3rd century AD, China had the earliest grottoes, the Kizil Grottoes, and then through the Northern Silk Road, Dunhuang, Yungang and Longmen Grottoes appeared in northern China.
But in the Song Dynasty, the representative of grotto art was the Dazu Rock Carvings.
The Dazu Rock Carvings represent the highest level of grotto art in the world from the 9th to the 13th century AD. Therefore, when UNESCO listed the Dazu Rock Carvings in the World Heritage List, one of the comments considered that the Dazu Rock Carvings are a masterpiece of genius.
[Subtitles] What is the development history of the protection of Dazu Rock Carvings?
[Concurrent] Li Fangyin, Dean of Dazu Rock Carving Research Institute
The Dazu Rock Carvings have been protected for 70 years until today.
Before the 1980s, it was mainly carried out for some rescue work in grottoes.
Since the 1980s, the Dazu Rock Carvings have entered a systematic protection stage.
When the Dazu Rock Carvings were listed as a world cultural heritage, they were no longer limited to the body of the statues on the cliffs, but gradually expanded to the surrounding areas, including the natural and cultural environment, for a wider range of protection.
In 2007, when we cooperated with Italy to establish the Dazu Rock Carvings Conservation Center, we realized that international cooperation is extremely important to promote the protection and research of Dazu Rock Carvings.
[Subtitle] You just mentioned international cooperation, what kind of cooperation is it?
What role did it play?
[Concurrent] Li Fangyin, Dean of Dazu Rock Carving Research Institute
After the Dazu Rock Carvings become a world heritage, it needs to be protected under a series of international conventions and international concepts.
Italy and China have a cooperative project, that is, the Italian side will provide financial assistance, and then establish a scientific research institution for cultural relics protection in China.
First of all, we know that Italy has a lot of experience in the protection of stone cultural relics.
In 2007, when we cooperated with Italy to establish the Dazu Stone Cultural Relics Protection Center, we realized the importance of scientific and technological protection to cultural relics.
Therefore, we have made great efforts to establish the Dazu Rock Carvings Cultural Relics Protection Center, the Dazu Rock Carving Safety Technology Prevention Center, and the Dazu Rock Carving Early Warning and Monitoring Center.
[Subtitles] In recent years, Dazu Rock Carvings have continued to carry out international cooperation with Italy, Japan and other countries. What breakthroughs have these cooperations made than before?
[Concurrent] Li Fangyin, Dean of Dazu Rock Carving Research Institute
After cooperating with Italy, we formed a tripartite cooperation mechanism with Fudan University and Japan's Nara Cultural Properties (Research Institute) to cooperate with another cave called Fengshan Temple in Dazu.
Our first is to further deepen the theoretical research on the protection of diseases. That is to say, we want to analyze some diseases and the causes of the diseases in the Dazu Rock Carvings through the basic research of this small grotto, and do some research. More basic and more solid scientific research work.
【Subtitle】You have experienced a number of international cooperations. What inspiration did these experiences bring to you?
[Concurrent] Li Fangyin, Dean of Dazu Rock Carving Research Institute
Some good ideas and good technologies in the world have indeed played a very important role in promoting our development.
To truly protect the Dazu Rock Carvings, the first point is to rely on the power of technology to implement more effective, more accurate and more scientific protection.
Then the second is to open the door and let more people participate in the overall protection of the Dazu Rock Carvings.
Then the third point is that we must take protection as the premise, and finally through protection and research, the Dazu Rock Carvings can be shared.
Reporter Xiao Jiangchuan reports from Chongqing
Responsible editor: [Ji Xiang]