A staff member from the culture and tourism bureau of Ziyang County explains the discovery of the murals in northwestern China's Shaanxi Province on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007. (Xinhuanet Photo)

    BEIJING, Nov. 25 -- A huge set of murals dating from the Qing Dynasty was recently discovered in a commerce and trade assembly hall in Ziyang County, located in northwestern China's Shaanxi Province.

    The huge murals, which span nearly 220 square meters in total, are well preserved. According to experts, exquisite murals of this size are a very rare find in China.

    The murals cover all the walls of the hall and used to be protected by local residents in the 1970s with wooden boards.

    The murals have important historical value for research on the commerce and trade assembly halls, local architecture, fine arts and folk-custom culture.

    Local cultural relic departments are currently protecting and restoring the rare murals.

Part of the mural depicting the story of the Three Kingdoms in Ziyang, located in northwestern China's Shaanxi Province, on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007. (Xinhuanet Photo) Part of the mural depicting the 24 Stories of Filial Piety in Ziyang, located in northwestern China's Shaanxi Province, on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007. (Xinhuanet Photo) Part of the mural depicting the story of the Three Kingdoms in Ziyang, located in northwestern China's Shaanxi Province, on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007.  (Xinhuanet Photo)

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)