World Monuments Fund and American Express Announce Restoration of Puning Si Statues in Chengde, China

Hua Yao, Vice President of the Political Consultative Conference of Chengde City, joined Jinhua Wang, Dean of Research Department, Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage (CACH); Henry Ng, Executive Vice President of World Monuments Fund (WMF); and Dave Keung, Vice President & Group General Manager, Global Network & Merchant Services, Greater China, American Express International, Inc., at a press conference today to announce a major grant to restore the famed wooden statues that dominate the interior of Puning Si (Temple of Universal Peace), built by the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735–1796) in 1755 in Chengde, China. Constructed to celebrate a military victory against the Dzungars of Mongolia, Puning Si is one of nine temples to survive at this sprawling Qing dynasty (1644–1912) mountain resort, and the only one that is still an active religious site.