GANSU

Digitization to bring back Dunhuang relics

Chinese researchers plan to digitize cultural relics from the famed Mogao Grottoes taken overseas more than a century ago. The relics, excavated from the Library Cave in Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, will be digitized, Luo Huaqing, deputy director of the Dunhuang Academy, said at an academic conference on Saturday. Through international cooperation, a database will be built on the basis of a digital collection of the cultural relics. The Library Cave was discovered in 1900, with around 60,000 rare cultural relics unearthed. About 40,000 pieces have been lost to more than 10 countries including the United Kingdom, France, Russia and Japan.

HEILONGJIANG

Soybean yield sets northeast record

A new variety of soybean developed in Heilongjiang province has set a yield record for the region, agricultural authorities said on Monday. The new variety, planted in a test area of around 3,500 square meters, achieved a yield of over 1,690 kilograms, which if scaled up would equate to a record-breaking yield of 5,043 kg per hectare. The variety has shown good adaptive ability and resistance to unfavorable conditions, said Huang Chunfeng, a researcher with the provincial plant breeding technical service center, which developed it.

Xinhua