Key cultural relics added to protection list

The State Council recently announced the eighth batch of national key protected cultural relic units - 762 in total - along with 50 existing key protected cultural relics, as determined by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National Cultural Heritage Administration.

According to the circular, all regions and departments should strengthen protection of the key protected cultural relics in accordance with the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics and the State Council's instruction on protection of cultural relics.

Departments concerned must step up protection, offer timely rescue for cultural relics and beef up regulation in this field. And they should also utilize the cultural relics reasonably in a bid to yield profit and carry forward the ethos of China along the way.

The circular said the protection of key protected cultural relics should be implemented in full swing, with particular focus on fire safety.

Favorable protection of cultural relics will be conducive to China's faith in culture and the resurrection of China's prosperity.

According to the list, the newly added relics include sites like the Shangzhai Ruins dating back to the Neolithic Age in the Pinggu district of Beijing, ancient burial sites including the grave of Qing Dynasty Prince Chun in the Haidian district of Beijing and historic buildings featuring the Changchun Temple in the Xicheng district of Beijing.