Stolen pagoda donated by Taiwan shown in Shanxi Museum

The Dengyu Stone Tower was made in Tang Dynasty. [Photo/CGTN]

Last year, the Taiwan Chung Tai Chan Monastery built the Chung Tai World Museum. The project was initiated by Wei Jue. Zhang Huiguo says Shanxi Museum has many cultural exchanges and cooperation with the Chung Tai World Museum. Both sides have a common goal to protect Chinese cultural relics.

The Dengyu stone tower composed of a base, a body, a tower eave and spire. The pagoda was given provincial-level protection in 1965. While the tower's base and eave are still in Dengyu village, its spire was stolen in 1996 and still missing today.

Now many are concerned that the body of the pagoda might be stolen again if it goes back to its original site in the village. Zhang Huiguo says the Dengyu Stone Tower can't stay in the museum all the time because it's listed as an immovable cultural relic. But the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau says considering the poor state of the village, the pagoda won't be sent back until the conditions there improve.

Shanxi is home to a large amount of cultural relics. But it's unfortunate that the Dengyu Stone Tower is just among many relics that were stolen. Now the province is speeding up to improve the protection over the cultural relics by various means. Hopefully, these efforts will not be in vain. ‍