The 2,000-year-old Baidicheng site, located in Fengjie county of Chongqing Municipality in Southwest China, is undergoing a significant restoration project. This endeavor focuses on preserving 56 of its over 70 ancient stone tablets, which are integral to the site’s rich historical tapestry. Baidicheng, carved from the renowned Three Gorges stone, is a testament to the enduring legacy of Chinese civilization.
Among these stone tablets, the oldest dates back to the Sui Dynasty (581-618), making it approximately 1,400 years old. These artifacts are not just stone slabs but carriers of history, inscribed with narratives and insights into China’s past. However, over the centuries, the inscriptions on these tablets have suffered deterioration due to environmental and human factors.
In response to this challenge, restorers are employing innovative methods to preserve these cultural relics. A key technique in this restoration process is desalination, aimed at removing harmful ions from the artifacts. This method is expected to protect the tablets more effectively and reveal previously obscured content. Lei Tingjun, curator of the Fengjie County Baidicheng Museum, emphasized the potential of these restoration efforts in uncovering lost historical details.
The restoration project is a meticulous process, expected to conclude around May 2024. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, which recently released the first list of ancient famous stone tablets and carvings. This list includes 1,658 artifacts, ranging from the Warring States period (475BC-221BC) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and showcases 20 different types of scripts.
Baidicheng, meaning White Emperor City, holds a special place in Chinese cultural history. Known as the City of Poems, it has been a muse for many poets, including the celebrated Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Li Bai, who immortalized it in his work “Departing from Baidi in the Morning.” The site also has connections to Du Fu, another renowned poet, and Liu Bei, the first emperor of the Shu Han Kingdom (221-263) during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). Contrary to popular belief, Liu Bei is said to have passed away at the Yong An Gong palace, located a few miles from the current Baidicheng site.
In recognition of its historical and cultural significance, the Chinese government designated Baidicheng as a national heritage site in 2006. This restoration project not only aims to preserve the physical integrity of the stone tablets but also to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage they represent. As custodians of this ancient legacy, the efforts at Baidicheng serve as a model for cultural preservation worldwide, ensuring that these testaments of history continue to enlighten and inspire future generations.
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