Abstract

From the 1990s of last century a complex process of modernization and change in the methodological approach to the conservation of Cultural Property was started in the People's Republic of China. Italy has played a fundamental role in the technical assistance to China for over thirty years in this transformation. `e fundamental stages that characterized this collaboration were retraced through the creation before of the Xi'an Center for the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Property and, subsequently in Beijing, of the Sino-Italian Training Conservation Center. Both projects were financed by the Italian Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A widespread investigation recently carried out between the groups of former students of the two chinese institutions demonstrates the impact of the italian collaboration on the development of conservation in China.