A restorer applies cotton strips, soaked in purified water, to a stone-carved statue of a Thousand-hand Bodhisattva in preparation for reinforcement and patching in Chongqing, Southwest China, May 7, 2014. The 7.7-meter high, 12.5-meter wide statue was carved in the Southern Song Dynasty (AD 1127 to 1279). Over the centuries, its color has faded, parts of the gold foil covering have peeled off and cracks have appeared. A restoration project was launched in April 2011 and is expected to be completed next year. [Photo/icpress.cn] |