Preface II

Yinchuan World Rock Art Museum(the Museum),situated in the Park of Helanshan Rock Art Relics(the Park), has received more than 800,000 visitors since its opening in November 2008.Leaders of the Party and the State,leaders of foreign countries and visitors from all over the world have given high marks to this biggest rock art museum in the world.

It is fair to say that the inauguration of the Yinchuan World Rock Art Museum has played a permanent role not only in upgrading the Park's position in the field of culture and tourism and enriching the culture and history of Yinchuan City,but also in advancing the promotion and exchange of rock art in the world.The Museum is free to both domestic and foreign visitors and has also hosted those activities as the Helanshan Rock Art Festival and Seminar for the six successive years,and 10 study tours of pupils known as Rock Art Known by the Kids.In addition,the Museum has received delegations from Yinshan of Inner Mongolia,Xinzheng of Henan Province and Xianju of Zhejiang Province and hosted seminars on protection and exploitation of rock art.Those exhibitions as Touched by the Rock's Soul by Han Meilin are also hosted here.

However,it is pitiful for both Chinese and foreign artists,experts on historical relics and even visitors not to be able to bring a document or book recording the general picture of rock art in the world for either reading or study after appreciating the marvelous rock art works.The calls and wishes could be found everyday on the book of visitors' messages.

I am deeply attached to rock art.In 2002 when Park was in its initial stage,I had the honor to participate in this hard but meaningful work. In eight years, I witnessed the establishment and development of the Park, its progress from a small one to such a big one today,and the twists and turns in the course of growing.In yinchuan municipal party committee municipal government and the social from all walks of life support,eventually make the world's biggest, China's only rock art museum for the helan mountain rock park the icing on the cake.

Two years since the Museum was established, I left the position of rock art. In the following 3 years after I left rock art,although I was not working on it,I always concerned about its development.When I was free,I often went to the Park to see the mountains and rivers that I and my team had passed by for rock art survey and to visit my old colleagues with whom I have worked.

August 2013 is another time which I cannot forget.I came back to the position of rock art and took the responsibilities of protecting, managing and developing the rock art. As a team leader, I feel great responsibility upon my shoulder when seeing numerous visitors come and appreciate the rock art in the Museum.On seeing the words left by the visitors,I became inspired and faces of expectations seemed to be in front of me.

In order to finish the book called Yinchuan World Rock Art Museum with high quality,I assigned the mission to Mr.Zhang Jianguo,Curator of the museum who is very capable and has strong sense of responsibility,and the entire team to work closely with him.On the occasion of the Helanshan International Rock Art Forum 2014,the book,which is made arduous effort by those in rock art of Helan Mountain,is to be published,for which I am more or less relaxed but still feel a little upset.I wish all friends,who read the book,could give opinions,correct our mistakes and,more importantly,pay more attention to the rock art of Helan Mountain.

I wish to express my gratitude to Mr.Li Xiangshi,Mr.Chen Zhaofu,Mr.Gong Tianfu and Dr.Su Sheng as well as other experts on rock art,who have generously provided us with documents.I also wish to thank Mr.Liu Yongping and others, who has made great efforts to the establishment of exhibition. Without their strong support and selfless dedication, the Museum would not be unveiled with such diversified works,and the book Yinchuan World Rock Art Museum would not be published.I wish them good health and all the best.

Wang Xu

August 1,2014