Eleven years ago today, the rat heads and rabbit heads from the Old Summer Palace returned to the motherland; ten years ago today, the heavy bronze vessel Fang Lei from the late Shang Dynasty returned to the motherland...
Cultural relics and cultural heritage carry the genes and blood of the Chinese nation. , cultural relics lost overseas always tug at the heartstrings of the Chinese people.
2024 is the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Over the years, China and France have cooperated in various fields such as cultural heritage protection and restoration, exhibition exchanges, and archaeological research, and have continued to promote exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations.
History is a teacher and culture is a friend. In order to further promote cooperation in cultural heritage protection between China and France and convey the value and significance of the return of lost cultural relics, the two-part documentary "National Treasure Returns Home" will be broadcast on the CCTV Record Channel of China Central Radio and Television Station at 19:23 on June 28 and 29. (cctv-9), telling the touching story behind the return of the national treasure thanks to the joint efforts of China and France. CCTV and CCTV.com were launched simultaneously.
Work together to pave the road to return
In 1860, the British and French forces captured Beijing. The Old Summer Palace, known as the "Garden of Ten Thousand Gardens", was burned to the ground and precious cultural relics were looted. The bronze animal heads of the twelve zodiac animals in the Haiyan Hall of the Yuanmingyuan left their hometown and became the epitome of the loss of Chinese cultural relics overseas.
On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, during then French President Hollande's visit to China in April 2013, out of love for Chinese culture and friendship with the Chinese people, the French Pinault family decided to remove the rat and rabbit heads from the Old Summer Palace. Return it to China free of charge. In June, China and France held a handover ceremony at the National Museum of China, and two animal heads from the Old Summer Palace were successfully returned to the motherland.
In ancient times, a complete jade was returned to Zhao, but now there is a complete relic returned to Hunan. The "treasure of the museum" Pan Fang Lei in the Hunan Museum is the largest and most exquisite bronze square Lei unearthed so far. This rare treasure was separated from its head shortly after it was discovered in 1919, and the body was lost overseas. . With the help of the Pinault family and the joint efforts of all parties, in June 2014, the body of the Banfang Lei vessel was successfully returned to the motherland and was stored in the Hunan Museum. It was combined with the cover of the Banfang Lei vessel, ending nearly a century of wandering.
On April 13, 2015, the Pinault family once again handed over four pieces of early Qin bird-shaped gold ornaments that were lost overseas to the Chinese Embassy in France as a free donation. Inspired by this, French collector Christian Dedier, who purchased another 52 pieces of gold jewelry from the same seller, also donated cultural relics to China free of charge.
Within the Four Seas, Building a Great Country and Responsible for Responsibility
From the righteous deeds of one family to the sincere cooperation between two countries, the "Three Stages of Return" has created a model for the return of lost cultural relics to the homeland.
On March 25, 2019, China and France signed the "Joint Statement on Strengthening Exchanges and Professional Training in the Field of Preventing and Combating Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property", which reflects the initiative of China and France to share the international responsibility of combating the smuggling of cultural property. and determination to work together to protect human cultural heritage.
Kindness is always mutual. On April 15, 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was in danger of a fire. Experts on ancient architecture from all over the world gathered in Paris to collaborate and participate in the restoration. Among them, there are also figures from China.
On November 6, 2019, China and France signed the "Joint Statement on the Implementation of Cooperation between the Two Sides in the Field of Cultural Heritage", making framework arrangements for the two sides to carry out research cooperation on the restoration of Notre Dame de Paris and the protection of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum. The long-standing friendship between the two peoples glows Give new life and vitality.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China has facilitated the return of more than 1,900 pieces (sets) of cultural relics and artworks to the motherland through international law enforcement cooperation, international civil litigation, diplomatic negotiations, negotiated donations, etc.
Every journey home is a legend with ups and downs; every return is a tearful reunion. Tonight at 19:23, CCTV Documentary Channel (cctv-9) will broadcast the first episode of the documentary "National Treasure Returns Home". Please stay tuned.
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