The restored Nine-Storeyed Basantapur Palace complex in Nepal Photo: Courtesy of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration

In Nepal's iconic world heritage site Kathmandu Valley, the Nine-Storeyed Basantapur Palace complex that once lay in ruins after a devastating earthquake, now stands revitalized and has, once again, welcomed visitors from across the globe to witness its architectural splendor and rich historical heritage thanks to the joint archaeological cooperation between China and Nepal.

For Prasad, a Nepali worker who participated in the joint project, the resurrection of the Nine-Storeyed Basantapur Palace complex in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is not just a job, but a reconnection with his ancestors' legacy, and an unforgettable experience working alongside the Chinese team.

"I have been working with the Chinese team for five years, and have learned a lot of skills from them," he told the Global Times. 

This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Nepal, and the temple's revival stands as a testament to a partnership spanning seven centuries. 

During the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), the renowned Nepali architect Arniko led a group of craftsmen to China, to design and oversee the construction of magnificent buildings such as the White Dagoba of Miaoying Temple in Beijing.

Chinese "heritage doctors" have now returned the favor, breathing life into Arniko's homeland.

The project, based on Nepali traditional aesthetics and aided by the Chinese team's patented techniques in relic restoration, was praised by the Nepali side for its "high efficiency and good quality." 

It has been seen as a "representative example of international cooperation in cultural heritage," according to a document that China's National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) sent to the Global Times on Thursday.

From ruins to revival  

On April 25, 2015, an 8.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kathmandu, leading to thousands of deaths and injuries, as well as the destruction of more than 600,000 buildings, according to materials that the China Academy of Cultural Heritage (CACH), which is in charge of the project, sent to the Global Times. 

The top three storeys of the Basantapur Palace situated in the southwest corner of the complex totally collapsed, along with part of the Bhaktapur Tower in the northeast corner, while some 80 percent of the complex walls suffered varying degrees of deformation and cracking, with over 10,000 wooden components damaged and scattered, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

According to media reports, the complex, built between the 17th and 18th centuries, was an important part of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace, which served as the royal palace of the Malla Dynasty (1328-1768) and the Shah Dynasty (1768-2008) in Nepal.

Within months, China pledged aid. The CACH put together an investigation team to visit the local area in November 2015 and officially launched the first large-scale overseas cultural heritage rescue project in Nepal in 2017, the document from the NCHA stated.  

The restoration of the Basantapur Palace complex involved cultural heritage conservation and post-earthquake reconstruction. This presented a new challenge in foreign aid heritage conservation projects, according to the CACH.

The Chinese team faced a maze of obstacles, including vanished historical records, structural instability, and clashes in preservation philosophies. 

While Nepali experts initially favored replacing damaged carvings, Chinese engineers insisted on salvaging 85 percent of the original components, even if it meant painstakingly repairing fragments as small as a coin. 

Innovation bridged tradition. To reinforce the temple's earthquake-prone wooden joints, the Chinese team introduced "reversible soft connections" flexible metal ropes that strengthened the structure without altering its historic fabric. 

Seeds for the future

To better protect and restore the complex, the Chinese team hired skilled woodcarvers from Nepali traditional woodcarving families.

Suman Shakya, a carpenter from a carpentry family with 17 years of experience, was familiar with every carved deity in the temple. 

During breaks, he would enthusiastically share their stories, from name origins to cultural meanings, with Chinese staff, with pride in his voice. 

Another carpenter on site, Laxmi Prasad Shilakar, had planned to switch careers. The temple restoration project, however, allowed him to continue his traditional woodcarving work and recognize its value. He highly approved of the Chinese team's cultural-relic protection principles and said he would apply China's protection concepts to restoring other earthquake-damaged cultural relics in Nepal.

"It was a great honor to participate in the restoration project, not only because it's an important cultural heritage site, but also because me and my team members established a deep friendship with the Nepali people," Sun Rongfen, one of the key Chinese members of the team that worked on the restoration project, told the Global Times. 

The collaboration transcended brick and mortar. 

When the pandemic halted work in 2020, Chinese experts turned crisis into opportunity, drafting "the Urban Search and Rescue at Heritage Sites," a global first in disaster response for cultural relics. 

By 2022, the temple's reconstruction had become a classroom: At the China-Nepal youth heritage camp, engineers held discussions about the study of ancient architectural features between China and Nepal.  

In November 2024, the temple passed its final technical review, coinciding with preparations for a bilateral exhibition celebrating 70 years of China-Nepal diplomatic relations. 

The two parties have also planned exhibitions to showcase the achievements of archaeological cooperation between the two countries over the years. Given the high praise from the Nepali side for the joint project, the Chinese side subsequently took on the first phase of the restoration project for the Durbar Square of Nuwakot, according to the NCHA.

Chinese experts work on the restoration of the Nine-Storeyed Basantapur Palace complex, in Nepal in 2022. Photo: Courtesy of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration