Lion dancers perform on poles during the Spring Festival holiday in Luoyang, Henan province, on Feb 2. HUANG ZHENGWEI/FOR CHINA DAILY

He said that this aims to examine factors such as preservation conditions, the surrounding environment and tourist capacities, and to assess whether a certain heritage site can be opened as a tourist destination on the premise of protection, determining the reasonable range of public access and identifying necessary adjustments to meet the requirements for opening.

In the case of the Tiefo Temple, public access — based on continuous monitoring to guarantee the safety of the relics — has also benefited the local community of Mixi village, where the temple is located.

The temple was originally built no later than the 12th century and rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The main hall, though sitting obscure in a courtyard dwelling, is home to 28 large statues of vividly depicted deities.

Each of these sculptures, supported and shaped using iron wire, conveys bold and exaggerated body language and facial expressions, complemented by delicately draped clothing and detailed armor and weapons.

Shen said discussions and preparations for the temple's opening to the public actually started at the beginning of last year. They have preserved the original nature of the community that the temple nestled in for centuries and avoided major demolitions and reconstructions.

Usually, visitors enter the main hall in a group of a dozen people and can linger in an area of only about 6 sq m. The entire courtyard can accommodate a maximum of around 50 people.

For those waiting in line, villagers provide them with chairs, parasols, drinks and sometimes performances to kill time, while interpreting the historical and artistic value of the temple.

The villagers are also engaged in tourist services such as guided tours, dining, accommodation and selling cultural products and local specialties. So far, cultural product sales have reached 1.65 million yuan ($228,000), earning more than 150,000 yuan for the village community, Shen said.

Meanwhile, a growing number of visitors are being attracted to Gaoping's other precious but lesser-known cultural heritage sites, significantly boosting the local tourism industry, Shen added.

Lu Yi, director of the Shanxi Academy of Ancient Building, Painted Sculpture and Fresco Preservation, said, "It's thanks to the protection by generations of villagers that the Tiefo Temple has survived."

For example, the family of 78-year-old Wang Gaiying alone has been living in the courtyard dwelling, guarding the temple and keeping it clean for three generations.

"While ensuring the safety of the artifacts, the approach taken by the Tiefo Temple has bestowed dignity upon the artifacts, the visitors, protectors of the artifacts, as well as the local people living in the surrounding areas," Lu said.