Ancient relics 'not misused'

A top official at Beijing's Wanshou Temple has denied accusations that its historic halls are being exploited for commercial purposes.

Zhang Shuwei, director of the Beijing Art Museum, which is housed by the temple, told METRO on Tuesday that at no point have the Grand Hall or the Hall of Longevity been improperly used.

"We did rent out some rooms to the rear of the building. It was just some vacant halls where there are no Buddha statues for people to worship," he said.

The museum has been working with an art and design company since 2005 to develop a series of souvenirs. Zhang admitted they had rented about 80 square meters in the Hall of Longevity - Changsheng Dian - to set up a sales point, although this was closed after the misuse claims were made in a CCTV news report on May 27.

"It is impossible to rent out the temple's Grand Hall," he added, without offering further details.

In a text message sent to METRO, the capital's cultural heritage administration said the initial CCTV report was "inaccurate", while some of the statements made were "groundless". However, officials have ordered the temple to cease all business operations to allow for a full investigation.

Wanshou Temple is located in Haidian district's Suzhou Jie. It was first built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to store Buddhist scriptures and later became a place for royal birthday celebrations during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Today, it houses a rich collection of Chinese relics, including bronze and jade pieces.

The CCTV report on May 27 alleged that the Grand Hall - Daxiong Baodian - and the Hall of Longevity were being rented out to travel agencies, where tour guides introduce visitors to people claiming to be fengshui masters and fortunetellers.

Shao, a frequent visitor to the temple quoted by Mirror Evening News, said that in recent years she has seen a sharp rise in "masters" selling "lucky" souvenirs, some of which cost up to 100 yuan.

Zhang countered that he is not aware of any fengshui or fortune-telling services being offered at the temple.

The accusations leveled at Wanshou Temple came just weeks after Rui Chenggang, a popular CCTV anchorman, revealed on his micro blog that the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, was being used as a "private club" for Beijing's elite.

On May 19, Yanzhao Metropolis Daily in Hebei province also discovered plans to open a high-class club in the Chengde Imperial Summer Resort, with membership costing at least 200,000 yuan.

The Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics states that any development of a historic building under State protection must receive permission from the government.

China Daily

(China Daily 06/01/2011)