The ruins of an ancient Tibetan kingdom are set to become a major tourist attraction, thanks to the work of one man who is determined to ensure that this mysterious realm isn't forgotten, report Luo Wangshu in Zanda county, Ngari prefecture, and Da Qiong in Lhasa.

Actors perform the play Princess Wencheng in Lhasa on Aug 5. Wang Zhuangfei / China Daily

Kalzang Rinzin knows every stone in the ruins of the Guge kingdom, a 10th century realm that existed in what is now Ngari prefecture in the western part of the Tibet autonomous region. The suntanned 37-year-old has lived in the former royal palace for nearly seven years and has examined every mural and statue in the assembly halls.

"The single remaining pedestal is fashioned in the shape of a lion's paw. If you look carefully, you can still see the claws. Unlike the women in murals in Lhasa, the women in the Guge murals have wasp waists, what we call the Tibet-Kashmir style," he said.

He can talk about Guge for hours because in his eyes, the remains of this ancient kingdom are a precious treasure trove that abounds with mysterious legends.

Guge, a powerful kingdom with more than 100,000 subjects, was located in present-day Zanda county. The ruins, which are listed as a national heritage relic, were once full of relics, including frescoes and sculptures, but the climate and human damage have resulted in the destruction of many priceless items.

The rock, a highly porous form of clay, is prone to water damage. "The summer palace has suffered after being inundated by heavy rain in recent years," said Lotan, head of the Zanda Administration of Cultural Heritage.

"Recently, Zanda has had much more rain than ever before, and the fortress's drainage system wasn't designed to cope with such heavy weather," he said, adding that a few sections of the former palace have been washed away or eroded by strong winds. Besides, a large number of murals were destroyed during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76).

To protect the ruins and remaining relics, the regional government invested more than 57 million yuan ($9 million) during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) to set up a preservation project that was completed in October last year.

Preservation attempts started in the 1980s, according to Lotan, and in 1986 more than 500,000 yuan was allocated for the maintenance of the assembly halls and temples. In 1997, the prefecture government spent a further 2 million yuan to reinforce the structure and improve the drainage system.

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