China is to use Egyptian techniques used to preserve the murals in the pyramids, to save China's ancient books.Zhang Zhiqing, director of the rare book department of the National Library of China, said that China's ancient books may be destroyed by acidification within a hundred years if repair techniques are not improved. He explained that alum was used in China's traditional technique of repairing ancient books, but it actually caused acidification.
Dai Xueyan, an organizer of a forum on cooperation between China and Egypt on ancient book protection techniques, told delegates, "We are now borrowing the techniques of Egypt which they use to repair the wall paintings of the pyramids".
China will send students to Egypt to study conservation technologies, and Egyptian experts will be invited to China to train more professionals in the field.
