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Tibetan Temple Proving China's Sovereignty Over Tibet to Be Rebuilt
China is considering to restore an ancient Tibetan temple damaged in an earthquake 73 years ago. The Banta Temple, located 20 kilometers southeast of Wuwei in northwest China's Gansu province, can serve as an evidence that Tibet has been a part of China since Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
In 1247, a historic meeting was held between the Chinese government and a Tibetan religious and political leader, who later declared from that time on that Tibet was under Chinese sovereignty.
A pagoda was built in the temple to preserve the body of the leader, who died in 1251.
However, a strong earthquake in 1927 destroyed the 42.7-meter-high pagoda. At the request of scholars and local people, the Central government will restore the temple and the pagoda and set up an exhibition hall and other facilities.
The relics of the pagoda are under strict protection and 0.67 hectares of land has been chosen for the site of the temple.
"It is really significant to restore the temple," said Professor Su Bai, an archaeologist from Beijing University.
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