The first sites to be put under protection have been decided, according to Shao Weidong, who is in charge of the Three Gorges relics affairs.

A copy of the White Crane Carved Stone will be made on the nearby bank, Shao said.

The carved stone is a slate formation rising slightly above the Yangtze River on which 30,000 ancient Chinese characters are inscribed. The 1,600-meter-long and 15-meter-wide stone is a national treasure.

Shao said that the government has also decided to relocate a famous temple dedicated to general Zhang Fei. Zhang Fei was a well-known hero in the Three Kingdoms period (220-280).

The temple now houses a number of valuable relics and will be flooded when the Three Gorges reservoir is completed in the early 21st century.

In addition, the government has made a plan to build dykes and walls to safeguard Shibaozhai, a beautiful wooden tower on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

Experts from prestigious Qinghua University and other institutes will participate in the protection work.

It is estimated that thousands of relics will be affected by the building of the Three Gorges dam, and experts say there are still many difficulties related to relics protection to be tackled.

(Xinhua 10/15/2000)