‘Hard to accept’: China villagers give 1,400-year-old Buddhist statues innocent paint job of thanks, damage artefacts

A set of 1,400-year-old Buddhist statues have been damaged by innocent villagers in China who painted them with bright colours to thank the gods for helping them fulfil their dreams.

Located on a remote mountain in Nanjiang county in Sichuan province, southwestern China, the statues are on a historic transportation route known as the Micang Ancient Road which dates back 3,000 years, according to the Sichuan Daily.

The figures, of different sizes, were carved during the Northern Wei Period (386-534), experts said, adding that they were of “important value” in demonstrating the spread of Buddhism in Sichuan and nearby regions in ancient China.

Discovered two years ago, the relics had yet to be included as a cultural protection unit but local authorities had erected a rain awning over the site and installed surveillance devices.

The villagers painted the 1,400-year-old statues to thank the deities for making their wishes come true, unwittingly damaging the ancient artefacts. Photo: Baidu

Officials from the county’s cultural relic authority recently discovered from the surveillance footage that villagers were painting the relics with gaudy colours.

By the time officials arrived to try and put a stop to the damage, the painting had been finished, the report said.

“It’s too far away and there is little we can do,” an official was quoted as saying.

“Those villagers are all in their 70s or 80s. They said they painted the figures because they wanted to thank Buddhist for answering their prayers. For now, we can do nothing about this matter except criticising and educating them.”

The official, whose name was not given in the report, said he and his colleagues were looking into how the statues could be restored.

“We have invited experts to research how to remove the paint. It’s quite possible to restore the original look. Meanwhile, we will call on the public to have a high awareness about cultural heritage protection.”

A cultural relic enthusiast, surnamed Song, from Chongqing in southwestern China said news of the painting had spread widely in his circle.

“The statues have been standing there for more than 1,400 years,” he told the newspaper. “They have been devastated by local residents. It’s really hard to accept that.”

Applying colour to old and worn-out Buddhist figures frequently occurs in China, with the work usually funded by villagers.

Officials have warned the villagers about applying paint to the relics and are investigating ways to restore them. Photo: Baidu

The Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau said in 2018 that 13 ancient statues in a cave linked to Buddhism in Anyue county in the province had been “inappropriately repaired and painted heavily”.

China’s Cultural Relics Preservation Law stipulates that any repair and renovation work on relics should first be approved by the cultural authority and should be undertaken by companies licensed in cultural relic protection engineering.