In the lead up to the China's Cultural Heritage Day that falls on Saturday, a series of short documentaries about a team of "magical" conservator-restorers has gone viral online.
The three five-minute episodes introduce the extraordinary work undertaken in a cultural relic restoration center in the city of Jingzhou in central China's Hubei Province. The documentaries have gained nearly a million views on the Weibo microblogging service and various mobile news applications.
Using cutting-edge technology and unparalleled techniques, the team of scientists led by chemist Wu Shunqing, 68, have stunned viewers with their repairs of ancient relics, revealing previously unknown historical data.
BAMBOO SLIPS
Before the invention of paper, bamboo slips were one of the most important conveyers of Chinese culture. The narrow strips of bamboo bound together by thread carrying lines of complex Chinese characters were a cherished find for archeologists and served as inspiration for an academic paper.
"However, they are easily mistaken for a pile of rotten soil as oxidation can turn bamboo black the moment it is unearthed," Wu said.
Thanks to his team and their unique skills, blackened strips can be restored to their original color and the ancient characters painted on them rediscovered.
Buried bamboo slips often remain submerged in mud and water for thousands of years. Even the gentlest of touches could destroy them. From excavation to cleaning, the process requires the level of care given to a newborn baby.
"Firstly we must soak a bamboo slip in distilled water to ensure it remains moist. Then a soft brush is used to remove mud and other substances from the slip," Wu said, adding that patience is key during the process.
Sodium dithionite, a decolorizing agent, is then used to return the bamboo to its original color without destroying the ink.
Drying out the bamboo slips posed a major challenge for restoration efforts during in 1990s. If slips were dehydrated too quickly, there was an increased risk of damage. To avoid this, Wu's team first soaked the slips in ethanol to support the interior structure of the bamboo and prevent them from cracking as they dried.
After the cleaning, decoloration and dehydrating processes are complete, the characters are once again visible and can be scanned and documented, before the bamboo slips are put on display for the public.
The center has restored more than 120,000 bamboo slips, accounting for70 percent of all water-logged bamboo slips unearthed in China.
"Currently we are working on thousands of bamboo slips excavated from Haihunhou Tomb, China's most complete Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.- 25 A.D.) tomb. I believe major historic discoveries are waiting to be discovered when we allow the slips to speak again," Wu said.
LACQUERWARE
The Jingzhou Museum adjacent to the center houses is a precious treasure -- an ornate drum carried by a pair of long-necked birds each standing on the back of a crouching tiger.
"It was not just a burial artifact, but also a musical instrument, and an unusually fine example of lacquerware," Wu said.
