BEIJING, June 17 -- The "2009 Ming Tomb World Heritage Cultural Festival" opened in the Ming Tomb Museum in Nanjing on Sunday.

    The festival highlighted the theme of protectiing cultural heritage. A series of Ming culture-based exhibitions were carried out during the festival. A series of lectures about art appreciation of Ming furniture, brocade tapestry of Ming dynasty and Xuande furnace, as well as live performances of the intangible cultural heritage such as opera, Nanjing white board, paper cutting art were held during the one-month festival.

    SOUNDBITE: Yu Jinbao, Staff of Sun Yatsen Mausoleum

    "Without opening, the Ming Tomb lacked historical relic. By means of modern science and technology, the museum owned the good copies of the entire panorama, main building, elements and contents of important building in the Ming Tomb. After visiting the whole museum, the audience would have a better understanding of the Ming Tomb. Experts believed the form was good."

    According to experts, the museum is the epitome of the whole Ming Tomb. As an example of Royal Mausoleum, the Ming Tomb is not only an important part of cultural heritage in China but also the treasure of world cultural heritage.

    Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nanjing.