'Relic doctor' saves aging artifacts

XI'AN－While standing in a damp and moldy tomb, Yang Wenzong felt overwhelmed as he gazed at the murals that date back more than 1,200 years.

Despite the decay, the colors and lines of the frescoes were still recognizable, but some of the delicate paintings were incomplete due to theft and destruction by tomb raiders.

Yang and his team were conducting a salvage excavation in the 12-meter-deep tomb of Han Xiu, a well-known chancellor during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).