Inscriptions, tablets in Temple of Confucius under restoration

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More than 1,000 stone tablets with ancient inscriptions are undergoing delicate restoration work in Temple of Confucius in Qufu City, east China's Shandong Province, local authorities said Wednesday.

Launched a year ago, restoration on 100 out of 1,157 stone tablets in the temple have been completed, according to the city's cultural relics bureau.

The 100 restored tablets which have been approved by experts with the provincial cultural relics bureau will provide experience for the following restoration work on the other stone tablets, said Kong Deping, director of the cultural relics bureau of Qufu City.

The restoration work is expected to complete by the end of the year.

The Temple of Confucius, listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) among the world cultural heritages, is home to 1,157 ancient stone tablets coming down from different dynasties as of the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD).

The tablets record the events of Confucius and his heirs receiving posthumous titles bestowed by feudal emperors, being prompted to higher ranks, commemorated by their offspring, as well as the repair records of the temple in different times.

The inscriptions are written in at least eight different fonts including minority scripts such as Mongolian and Manchu. They are believed to have important research value.

Having experienced wind and rain, wars and natural disasters, some characters on these stone tablets have almost worn away while some tablets have suffered cracks and breaks. Therefore, they are in dire need of restoration, said Kong.

The city of Qufu made a detailed plan for the restoration and preservation of these stone tablets and inscriptions before the work started, which has ensured that the craftsmen can strictly observe the principle of preserving the original form of the historic relics, according to Kong.

Born near the present-day city of Qufu, Confucius (551-479 BC) is believed to be the first person to set up private schools in China and enroll students from all walks of life. Endi

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