This is the final part of a six-part series about the Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi in China. The conclusion of the cave-making was shown last week, and this week we move on to their preservation.
We first look at how natural and human factors have contributed to the gradual decay of the caves. The natural factors include rain and coal dust, Datong being a major coal producing area in China.
The human factors are typically destructive with theft on a large scale taking place during the unstable times in the first part of the 20th century in China, when statues, and parts of statues were taken away to foreign countries and their museums.
We then see what has been done to prevent any more theft on the one hand, and improve the environmental conditions on the other. More recently, we see the steps taken to make a complete digital copy of the caves, that can even be used to make replicas through 3D printing. We have indeed come a long way.
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