The government has invested more than 57 million yuan (about 8.8 million U.S. Dollars) to maintain the ruins of the famed Guge Dynasty, an ancient kingdom in western Tibet Autonomous Region, local authorities said.

The project, started on May 1, is now in full swing in Ngari Prefecture, said an official of the Cultural Relics Bureau of the Ngari Prefecture government.

The famed Guge Dynasty Ruins, built in the 10th century, are the largest ruins and also best preserved artifacts from the kingdom, which includes color paintings, clay sculptures and stone sculptures.

"The five palaces of the ruins have problems with cracked walls and loose ceilings, to a different extent, which are expected to be fixed," said Phubu Chosang, an official of the administration of the ruins.

Tara House, the lowest part of the ruins, has been surrounded by steel foot stools and protective screenings. More than 40 workers had been assigned to the working site.

The Guge Dynasty Ruins are one of the first group of historical relics under state protection in China. More than 500,000 yuan (about 77,000 U.S. Dollars) were allocated to maintain the five buildings of the ruins in 1986. Another two million yuan (about 307,700 U.S. Dollars) were invested by the prefecture government to reinforce the structures and improve the drainage system in 1997. The ruins were listed as a key unit to be protected in the 11th Five-year Plan of Tibet in 2006.

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