Why China needs more cultural relic 'doctors'?

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05:29

The Palace Museum will build the first culture relic medical school in China in cooperation of higher education institutes to train more cultural relic "doctors," said the vice director of the Palace Museum on Sunday.

Song Jirong, also member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), met the press before the opening meeting of the second annual session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Every cultural relic stored should be sent to the Palace Museum's Culture Relic Hospital before being displayed publicly, said Song.

Built in 2016, the modernized hospital is the first of its kind in the world, with 23 analysis and detection rooms, 16 culture relic repairing rooms and 161 doctors.

Restoring culture relics in the Palace Museum's Culture Relic Hospital, December 29, 2016. /VCG Photo

However, doctors are shorthanded compared with 1.86 million culture relics (sets) collected in the world's largest museum and more cultural relics across China.

"We need more culture relic hospitals and doctors," said Song.

The aim of building the culture relic medical school is to let more cultural relics live longer, and meet the urgent need for talents that are excel in protecting and repairing culture relics, she said.

"It is our wish to better protect China's cultural relics with several generations' efforts," said Song.

(Top image: Song Jirong, vice director of the Palace Museum and member of the 13th National Committee of CPPCC, met the press before the opening meeting of the second annual session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 3, 2019. /VCG Photo)