The State Administration of Cultural Heritage said 139 cultural relics units under state protection, including some regarded as precious in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces and Chongqing Municipality, were severely damaged by the May 12 earthquake, Xinhua reported.

In Sichuan, 79 of 128 units were affected, with 1,645 pieces of relics damaged, including 148 precious ones.

"We will gather talents from the whole country to save the cultural relics in the disaster areas," said Tong Mingkang with the agency.

"Relics restoration in the disaster area is at the top of our agenda for our bureau in the coming several years," Tong said.

The quake-hit southwest regions are steeped in history and were home to China's ancient civilizations.

Xinhua reported relics or historical sites damaged include the Erwang Temple, or the "Temple of Two Kings," built 2,000 years ago to honor Sichuan Governor Li Bing and his son for the construction of Dujiangyan, the world's oldest irrigation project. The dam, which was still operating, collapsed in the quake.

The good news is that the famous Terra Cotta Warrior Museum in Xian, capital of Shaanxi Province, is intact.