National relics restoration competition held in Qufu

A national working skills competition themed on the restoration of cultural relics was held by the National Cultural Heritage Administration in Qufu, a county-level city of Jining in Shandong province from Oct 22 to 23.

The event was organized in response to the central government's call to create a scientific evaluation and management mechanism for cultural relics restorers and was meant to benefit restorers' promotion and career prospects, said Gu Yucai, deputy director of the administration, at the launch ceremony.

"Restoring relics is of great importance in protecting and passing down the nation's traditional culture. The restorers, who are in close and direct contact with these rare and delicate relics, should have sound theoretical knowledge and practical experience. The way they work will have a direct impact on the safety of the relics," Gu said.

The competition, which was opened to all professional restorers and archeologists from across the country, saw 152 competitors from 19 provinces taking part. The competition was divided into six categories: wooden works, tile works, paintings on ancient buildings, porcelain restoration, calligraphy and paintings restoration, as well as archaeological exploration.

An academic forum on cultural relics protection and restoring technique was held on the sidelines on Oct 23.