Walls to save

Veteran fresco restorer Li Yunhe's grandson Li Xiaoyang works on fresco restoration.

In the case of fresco restoration in Quyang, Li Xiaoyang also had to deal with feces left by bats and pigeons. A heavy layer of dust that had fallen on the fresco surfaces was another problem here: Quyang is a hub for the stone-carving industry, and the local air is often dusty.

"Someone working at the temple for many years told me that she had never known what the frescoes were really like until we unveiled them," the younger Li says.

Though he says he is someone full of new ideas, his job does not allow him to exert his creativity. For example, 3-D printing was once considered a way to repair broken parts of the Buddhist sculptures.

"However, we still stick to old methods," he says. "3-D printing is convenient, but we still prefer the traditional way to restore frescoes, as it's good for people's research on the cultural relics in the future."

Li Xiaoyang is an outdoor sports fanatic and jokes that his hobby "is too dynamic to match his quiet job". He also tries to design cultural, creative products in his spare time to give his imagination an outlet.

"I grew up in a touristy city, and I am fed up with the souvenirs that look the same everywhere around the country," he says. "I want to create something different."

Nevertheless, it seems a luxury for Li Xiaoyang to get to focus on his own business.

After the award ceremony, he immediately rushed to another fresco waiting to be repaired in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province.

He will stay in Shijiazhuang through the summer－where once again he will spend a season with his grandfather.

"My girlfriend is still in graduate school," he says with a sigh. "When I often leave her alone for a few months, I know she is not happy. But my job is like that. I hope she supports me as I am doing the job that I love."