The Chinese capital has set up a special fund with an annual sum of more than 3 million yuan (US$360,000) for the purpose of preserving the city's traditional arts and crafts, the municipal economic committee has announced.
The money would be mainly used to protect avenues for traditional arts and crafts as well as the construction of studios for masters, said Zhang Lanqing, an official with the committee.
In addition, money would be channeled into the retrieval, preservation and revival of traditional craftsmanship and artistry as well as the protection and training of talented personnel, Zhang said.
The fund was expected to promote the collection, publicity, and publication of excellent representative works and information, as well as exhibitions and exchanges at home and abroad, Zhang added.
Any unit or individual that had registered at the municipal industrial and commercial department was entitled to apply for funding, he said.
Meanwhile, he added, the municipality had worked out a series of supervision and inspection regulations governing the use of the funds.
(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2003)
