The Potala Palace (Screenshot/CCTV)

Blueprints of the Potala Palace, an icon of Tibetan Buddhism, were unveiled to the public during a preservation project starting this year, Chinese broadcaster CCTV reported on March 26.

The blueprints were drawn on thick canvas with natural mineral pigments over 320 years ago. The structures of the buildings, even the wood pillars within them, have been painted in detail.

Blueprints of the Potala Palace (Screenshot/CCTV)

The project to preserve ancient documents and anthologies at Potala Palace is supported by a 300 million-yuan fund earmarked by the central government.

Experts have been working to digitally preserve and register more than 2,800 volumes of ancient documents in the libraries of the Potala Palace.

The palace is home to 40,000 ancient volumes, including Buddhist classics, medicine, opera, annals and bibliographies.

Ancient documents at the Potala Palace (Screenshot/CCTV)

Padma Losang, with the Potala Palace Administrative Office, said this year marks the first time that the project has gone digital, explaining that they have set up a database to better protect and preserve ancient cultural heritage.

Reports confirm that there are four parts to the project: preventive protection, emergency protection and repair, digitization, and display and utilization.

Currently, the palace's collection is preserved in the chapels of tomb stupas and Buddha sculptures, the assembly hall and several other libraries.