Young Chinese relics conservationist devotes himself to Angkor Wat

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Since China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, cooperation with countries along the route in the field of archaeology has been booming.

For most people, architectural sites are merely tourist attractions. But for 30-year-old Zhang Nian, they are his work.

Ta Keo Temple is among the more than 100 historical buildings in Cambodia's Angkor Wat. It was severely damaged by the time it was first discovered in the modern era. The stone structure on the foundation collapsed awhile ago, and it has since been too fragile to sustain any large hoisting equipment.

In order to restore the five tower roofs of the temple, Zhang and other workers spent nearly two months mounting up the scaffolds.

"When I first came here, I was afraid that I was not up to the job. But when you are pushed to get things done, you can really make it," said Zhang.

In 2011, Zhang graduated with a major in Conservation and Restoration of Ancient Architecture. He was then sent by the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, together with seven others, to do conservation and restoration at Ta Keo Temple.

His job is to find the thousands of stone pieces that have fallen from collapsed buildings and match them back. Among the debris, the largest can weigh four tons while the smallest are only 5 centimeters long. At one point it even took him two years just to find a single piece.

But Zhang said his stay at Angkor Wat was meaningful. "I think we should complete our mission and not care too much about the rewards. That's what should be done in one's youth," he explained.

Zhang Nian has spent the most important years of his youth at Angkor Wat from the ages 25 to 30.

He will soon be dispatched to Uzbekistan for another restoration project.

But one thing is for sure, he has left his footprint on the land of Ta Keo Temple.