XINING, Aug. 24, 2018 -- Researchers in northwest China's Qinghai Province have found a Tibetan Buddhist rock inscription considered to be the largest and most well-preserved in the province, a local museum said Wednesday.

The rock, located in Menyuan Hui Autonomous County in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, is 2.5 meters long and 3 meters tall. It is inscribed with Buddhist tributes, mantras and prayers in Sanskrit and Tibetan languages, said Zhang Haiming, researcher with the museum.

The stone may have been carved around 200 to 300 years ago by monks in nearby temples and is of great historic, cultural and artistic value, according to the museum.

"A 10 cm layer of moss and grass covered on the inscriptions helped preserve the stone so well," Zhang said.

The provincial museum is conducting further research on the date, art form and content of the text. The findings are expected to be published next year.

Aug. 24, 2018 -- Photo taken on Aug. 18, 2018 show a newly-found Tibetan Buddhist rock inscription in Menyuan Hui Autonomous County in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. The Tibetan Buddhist rock inscription is considered to be the largest and most well-preserved in the province. (Xinhua/Dong Liansheng)