@@　 Article　 17.　 To　 conduct　 archaeological excavations for the
purpose　of　scientific　　research,　　institutions　　in　 charge　 of
cultural　 relics,　institutions　　for　　archaeological　research　and
institutions　　of　 higher　learning　 in　 the　provinces,　autonomous
regions,　and　municipalities　directly　under　the　Central　Government
shall　submit　their　excavation programmes to the　state department for
cultural　 administration　 for　joint　examination　with　the　 Chinese
Academy　　of　 Social　 Sciences,　 and　 may　 not　proceed　with　the
excavations　　until　　they　　obtain　 the　 approval　 of　the　state
department for cultural administration.
　Archaeological　 excavation　programmes　which　have to be carried out
at　the　major　sites　to be protected for their historical and cultural
value　at　the　national　 level　 shall　 be　 submitted　to　the state
department　for　cultural　administration　for　joint　examination　with
the　Chinese Academy of Social Sciences before they are forwarded to the
State Council for approval.
　@@　 Article　 18.　 Before　 carrying　 out　 a　 large-scale capital
construction　project,　　the　construction　unit　shall　first　conduct
investigation　 or　prospecting　related　to　cultural　relics, together
with　the　department　for cultural　 administration　 of　 a　province,
an　 autonomous　 region　 or　 a　municipality　 directly　 under　 the
Central　Government,　at　places　where　such　relics　 may　 be　buried
underground　 within　 the　 area　 designated　 for　the　project.　 If
cultural　 relics　are　discovered　in　the　course of investigation and
prospecting,　 measures for handling them should be jointly decided upon
by　 the　 two　parties　through　consultation.　In　case　of　important
discoveries,　the　 department　 for　 cultural　 administration　 of　a
province,　an　autonomous　region　 or a municipality directly under the
Central　Government　shall　submit timely　 reports　 for　 handling　by
the　state　department　for　cultural administration.
　 While　　carrying　　out　　capital　 construction　 or　agricultural
production,　any　unit　 or　 individual　that discovers cultural relics
shall　immediately　report　the　discoveries　to　the　local　department
for　cultural　administration.　In　case　 of　 important　 discoveries,
the　 local　 department　 for　 cultural　administration　 must　submit
timely　 reports　 for　 handling　 by　 the　departments　for　cultural
administration at higher levels.
　@@　Article　19.　With regard to archaeological excavations which have
to　be　carried　 out　along with a construction project, the department
for　cultural　administration　 of　a　province,　an　autonomous　region
or　 a municipality directly　under　the Central Government shall submit
an　 excavation　 programme　 based　 on　 prospecting　 to　 the　state
department　for　cultural　administration　for　joint　examination　with
the　Chinese　Academy　of　Social　Sciences　and　for　approval　by　the
department.　In　cases　where the pressing time limit for the completion
of　 the　project　or the danger of natural damage makes it truly urgent
to　 rescue　 the　 sites　 of　ancient　culture　and ancient tombs, the
department　 for　 cultural　administration of a province, an autonomous
region　or　 a　municipality　directly　under the Central Government may
organize　people　to　 proceed　 with　 the　 excavations　 while　going
through the procedures to obtain approval.
　 @@　 Article　 20.　 The　 expenses　and　workforce　needed　for　the
prospecting　for　cultural　 relics and archaeological excavations which
have　 to　 be　carried　out　because　 of　 capital　 construction　 or
construction　for　productive　purposes　shall　 be　 included　 in　the
investment　and labour plans of the construction units　or　reported　to
planning　departments　at　higher levels for proper arrangement.
　@@　 Article　 21.　 No　 foreign national or foreign organization may
engage　in　archaeological　 investigations　 or　excavations within the
boundaries　 of　 the　People's　 Republic　 of　China　without　special
permission　granted　by　the State Council,　on　the　basis　of a report
from the state department for cultural administration.
CHAPTER IV CULTURAL RELICS IN THE COLLECTION OF CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
　@@　 Article　 22.　 Museums,　 libraries and other institutions under
ownership　by　 the　 whole　people must classify the cultural relics in
their　collection　by　 different　grades,　compile files for the relics
kept　by　them,　establish　a strict　system　of　control　and　register
the　relics　with　the　relevant department for cultural administration.
　Local　departments　for　cultural　administration　at　various　levels
shall　compile　 files　 for　the　cultural　relics　in　the　collection
of　cultural institutions　in their respective administrative areas; the
state　depart