Precious artworks are more than just imitations

In the silence of an ancient tomb at night, a light remained aglow as people diligently worked within its chambers. Yet, these were not tomb raiders seeking treasures but three people immersed in copying the murals adorning the tomb walls, their brushes skillfully tracing the intricate designs onto paper laid out on painting desks. This tomb belonged to concubine Wei, a consort of Li Shimin, a Tang Dynasty (618-907) emperor, as a satellite tomb near Li's Zhaoling Mausoleum in Liquan county, Xianyang, Shaanxi province.

It was in 1990 when the copying efforts began as archaeologists discovered numerous exquisite murals in the tomb that required mural professionals to immediately record their original state for future studies and display.

One of the mural experts, Gao Chunlin, who was just 21 and a new employee of the Zhaoling Museum in Liquan, was especially hardworking. At midnight, his colleagues returned home to sleep but he insisted on drawing until 2 or 3 am each night, examining and imitating the ancient essence excitedly and resuming work at 6 am. Within two months, they managed to reproduce the intricate details of over 70 murals within the tomb before these precious artworks were relocated for enhanced preservation.

The following year, their replicas replaced the original murals when the tomb opened to the public.

This was one of the most unforgettable moments in Gao's career. As a mural expert devoted to replicating and studying murals for more than three decades, Gao has demonstrated that passion for one's career can transcend time.

Working in a grassroots museum with limited staff members, Gao must be flexible. For example, he restores pottery figurines, establishes files for cultural relics, and introduces artifacts on display for visitors. But what he cares about most are the murals.