In the two years before work got underway, the complex had suffered further damage. It had gone through two monsoons since the earthquake. "After two years left unattended, three monkeys were living inside, and fleas were all over the place. It was a complete ruin," explained Guo.
In the early days, there was some friction between the Chinese and Nepali experts regarding how the structure should be restored. The Chinese supported a policy of minimum intervention, while the Nepalese wanted to completely rebuild the structure since, for them, renewal means progress. With time, the Chinese view prevailed.1
Another challenge facing the Chinese team initially was a lack of detailed references, which were crucial if they were to reassemble the structure and its various parts precisely as they had been. They sought out local photographers, asking them for any old photos they might have of the complex, and consulted local conservation experts to see if they had any unpublished reference materials. 23
The Basantapur complex was the royal palace of Hindu kings. It's famous for its delicate wood carvings, which often depict legends associated with Hinduism.
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- 1. "They gradually accepted our concept because they see that we're genuinely working hard to preserve their cultural heritage," said Guo. Ultimately, a middle-way approach was agreed – keeping any parts that were still reusable and making replacements for any that were lost or beyond repair.
- 2. "In traditional Nepali architecture, all the wooden pieces are hand-made," said Zhou Jianguo, who, as someone with considerable experience of restoring famous temples in Tibet, is the site supervisor for the Basantapur restoration. "We spent a year, numbering all the fallen parts we could retrieve and trying to assemble them piece by piece to get the jigsaw right."
- 3. "We're also thinking about digitalizing the reference materials we've got," said Guo. "And then transferring them to Nepal's Department of Archaeology for future protection efforts."
