Safeguarding national treasure a 'relay race'

The food, mainly steamed buns offered in pilgrimage to the Buddhas, is like a godsend. "After eating potatoes three times a day for nearly 30 years, the taste of wheat and flour is heavenly," Feng said. The temple is seeing more pilgrims and visitors ever since the new access road came up.

Feng has never seen the "golden lights" some old monks said "illuminated" the temple at night, giving the temple its name, Golden Lights Temple. He has always found it to be pitch dark and quiet at night, but for the whistling winds.

"The nights became more bearable after I bought a radio," Feng said. He seldom goes back home, which is hours away on foot, as he is yet to find someone who can fill in for him while he is away.

He learned the importance of his job soon after he joined. In 1996 and 1997, the temple was robbed four times; several wooden Buddha statues were stolen. Feng tried his best to fight the robbers but was outnumbered and injured; the robbers were armed with knives and sticks.

The oldest statues and grottoes at the temple date back to the 6th century and are regarded as national treasures.

"If attacked again by robbers, my wounds will ultimately heal, but the cultural relics will be lost forever. So I will do all I can to protect these cultural relics," Feng said.

He has also won the understanding of his wife and children with his sense of responsibility.