Chinese archeologists have called for efforts to protect the eight 300-year old barns in northwest China's Gansu Province.

The barns consist of more than 40 storage rooms with a total size of 1,400 square meters. They were built for military purposes during the reigns of Emperor Qianlong and Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

There were 72 barns of 400 storage rooms in the past, but most of the barns are destroyed or have been removed. Now, only eight barns stand in Dunhuang City in the northern part of Gansu.

According to experts of the Dunhuang Archeological Research Center, the remaining barns also face problem of wall cracks, groundwork damage and floor collapse.

The ancient barns must receive urgent repair and long-term protection, the experts urged.