Murals are one of the most precious sources of cultural heritage of our countryand are of great historical and artistic value. However, due to the destruction caused by poor environmental preservation and fragile materials coupled with floods, dust, and human activities, extant ancient murals exhibit numerous kinds of deterioration. The preventive monitoring of murals and restoration of damaged relics require different measurement techniques according to the type of deterioration. One of the most important tasks faced right now is to precisely determine and catalogue the types, degrees, and size of the deterioration suffered by mural paintings, of which the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes and other sites have preserved in large number. By studying the deterioration labeling process, a fully functional labeling system has been designed for ancient murals that is professional, easy to learn, and requires much simpler procedures for operation. The use of this new technique in the Mogao caves proves that this system can reduce the arduousness of deterioration labeling work while greatly improving efficiency
