A total of 306 million yuan ($43 million) has been invested over the past three years in cultural heritage protection and emergency reinforcement projects in Aksu prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, local officials said during a news conference in Urumqi on Monday.

According to Xu Zhong, executive deputy commissioner of the Aksu prefecture administrative office, these funds have facilitated excavations at the Subash Buddhist Ruins, the ancient city site of Kucha, and the ancient tomb complex at Youyi Road, all in modern-day Kuqa city.

Xu added that the investment also supported an underground museum for Wei (220-265) and Jin (265-420) dynasty era tombs from the ancient Kucha kingdom, as well as a national Great Wall cultural park at the 2,000-year-old Biedieli beacon tower. It has also funded studies on Zhang Qian, the 2nd-century BC Silk Road pioneer, and Kumarajiva, a master Buddhist translator from Kucha.

The official emphasized that throughout the history of Xinjiang, the ancient Kucha culture has served as a powerful testament to the interactions, exchanges, and integration among various ethnic groups.

Aksu has implemented a three-year action plan (2024-26) to protect the inheritance of Kucha cultural heritage and boost the cultural tourism industry with its three UNESCO World Heritage sites, namely, the Kizil Cave-Temple Complex in Baicheng county, the Kizilgaha Beacon Tower, and the Subash Buddhist Ruins in Kuqa city, apart from other ancient Kucha grotto temples.

The action plan includes an investment of 2.28 billion yuan to construct museums and strengthen archaeological excavations to advance the preservation and utilization of Kucha cultural heritage.