An asteroid has been named after Chinese archaeologist Fan Jinshi in recognition of her contribution to the protection, study, and promotion of the Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Dunhuang in northwest China’s Gansu Province. The asteroid coded 381323 was discovered by astronomers from the Purple Mountain Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and its naming was approved by the International Astronomical Union. The naming was announced at a symposium held on Monday to commemorate Fan’s 60 years of dedicated efforts to the cultural relics protection in Dunhuang.
Fan, 85, graduated with a major in archaeology from the History Department of Peking University. She started to work in Dunhuang in 1963 and made it a lifelong career to protect and study the cultural relics in Mogao Grottoes. She devoted herself to the cause of Dunhuang cultural relics protection. She did not only secure great academic achievements in the archaeology and cultural heritage management of the grottoes in Dunhuang, but also carved out an effective way in the scientific protection, management and utilization of the cultural heritage, and promoted the protection of Mogao Grottoes from emergency rescue to scientific protection, Fan also donated 10 million yuan (about 1.4 million U.S. dollars) to promote the conservation of cultural relics and talent building in Dunhuang, following her earlier donation of 10 million yuan to Peking University to promote its Dunhuang studies in May.
