①On Sept.7, famous Chinese archaeologist(考古学家) Fan Jinshi, 85, was awarded by UNESCO for her contribution to the protection of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang.
②Called the" daughter of Dunhuang", her story with the caves started 60 years ago. In 1963, Fan, then a 25- year- old Peking University graduate, had the chance to work at the Mogao Caves.
③" Seeing Dunhuang for the first time was breathtaking. But only when truly staying here did I realize that inside the caves is a world of divine beauty while outside is a land of blowing sand and yellow earth," Fan told Gansu Daily.
④Back in those days, the Mogao Caves were almost completely cut off from the world. Fan and her coworkers had to live in mud houses and drink salty water. They stayed inside the Caves to copy murals(壁画) and do whatever they could to protect and restore them. In 2011 after 40 years of hard work, a report on 10 Mogao Caves by Fan's team was finally published. It was known as China's first professional report on cave archaeology.
⑤As time passed. Fan found a serious problem. The increasing number of tourists visiting Dunhuang might harm the caves, causing the murals inside to fade. Something needed to be done to protect Dunhuang's heritage.
⑥In the late 1980s, Fan stumbled upon computer technology by chance. She realized that this might protect the Mogao Caves forever. After over 30 years of exploration, the Dunhuang Academy built a digital database to protect cultural relics(文物) there, allowing Dunhuang's art to live forever and to step out of the caves to meet the world.
⑦" In my whole life, I've only done one thing: protect and promote the world cultural heritage of the Mogao Caves," she told People's Daily." My heart belongs to Dunhuang."
