Painting 1,400 year old Buddha statue

People in Sichuan province in China repainted a Buddha statue in bright colors to show their gratitude, not knowing that this action damaged the 1,400-year-old relic.

Authorities in Nanjiang County, Sichuan Province, discovered locals repainting a series of Buddha statues on a mountain in bright colors earlier this month, but were too late to stop them. "They were around 70 or 80 years old, and they said they were repainting the reliefs to thank Buddha for answering their prayers. We could do nothing but reprimand them and raise awareness," said an unnamed official.

A series of Buddha statues carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) are located on an ancient traffic route dating back 3,000 years.

The relief before and after being repainted. Photo: SCMP

According to experts, this structure has "important value", reflecting the foundation of Buddhism in Sichuan and neighboring areas in ancient times. Authorities have built a rain shelter and installed surveillance cameras, but have not yet put the relic under protection.

The Nanjiang government is working to restore the Buddha statues to their original state. "We have invited experts to study how to remove the paint, and are calling on the public to raise awareness of protecting cultural heritage," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Locals repainting ancient Buddha statues is a common occurrence in China. In 2018, Sichuan provincial authorities said 13 ancient statues in a cave had been “inappropriately overpainted.”

According to China's Cultural Relics Conservation Law, any repair or renovation of relics must be approved by the government and carried out by licensed companies.

Duc Trung (According to SCMP )

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