(250726) -- TIANSHUI, July 26, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Mu Changyou, a cultural relics restorer of Maiji Mountain Grottoes art institute, fills out a registration form after returning the keys to the Grottoes in Tianshui City, northwest China's Gansu Province on July 16, 2025. Mu Changyou, 59, has worked on relics restoration for four decades at Maiji Mountain Grottoes, one of the four most famous grottoes in China. Starting as an apprentice, Mu had spent more than 10 years doing chores like cleaning caves, arranging tools, mixing mud and twisting hemp ropes etc. Thanks to constant interactions with and guidance by weathered masters in this walk of life, along with diligence in reading of professional books and hands-on practice, Mu eventually turned himself from a farmer to a senior cultural relics restorer.
Apart from devoting his energy and expertise directly to these relics, Mu is also an ardent mentor, looking to pass all his wisdom on to the young people working around him, and contribute to the sustainability of the Maiji Mountain Grottoes. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
