China builds $477 mn Buddhist-themed park

Beijing - A Buddhism-themed park is being constructed in China's Gansu province at a cost of around three billion yuan ($477 million), Xinhua reported.

Spread over an area of around 20 hectares, the park will epitomise Buddhist culture, said sources. It is the first of its kind in Gansu province and expected to be completed within two years.

Situated in the historic site of Shazhou in west Dunhuang city, the World Buddhism Culture Park will consist of a prayer square, a Buddhist relic study centre, a hall for debating Buddhist scripts and a meditation centre, said tourism sources as saying.

Dunhuang is widely known for the Mogao Caves, where a great number of Buddhist sculptures and wall paintings have been preserved.

As an important courier station on the ancient Silk Road, Dunhuang was the first stop for Buddhist monks entering China, thus playing an important role in propagation of Buddhism.