Commentary | The pursuit of lost cultural relics will not stop until they “return home”
Liu Zao – The Paper
According to Xinhua News Agency, on October 28, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China received two Chinese cultural relics returned by the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, the capital of Australia: the head of a military official statue from the Yongyu Mausoleum of the Northern Song Dynasty and the head of a civil official statue from the Yongchang Mausoleum.
The two artifacts that returned this time are the heads of stone statues from the Northern Song Dynasty imperial tombs. They originally belonged to the Northern Song Dynasty imperial tomb stone carvings group in Gongyi, Henan Province, and are precious remnants of Song Dynasty tomb stone carving art. These two artifacts, carrying nearly a thousand years of history, have crossed mountains and seas to finally embark on their journey home, returning to their respective cultural context, which is undoubtedly gratifying.
The return of cultural relics is no easy feat. The two relics returned this time were the result of an investigation conducted by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China in conjunction with the Ministry of Public Security and the cultural relics and public security departments of Henan Province. Following the compilation of evidence, a memorandum was submitted to the National Gallery of Australia in 2025, formally initiating the repatriation process. Subsequently, within the framework of the 1970 UNESCO Convention, and based on the intergovernmental memorandum of understanding on the protection of cultural relics signed by the two countries in 2009, as well as the relevant policies of the National Gallery of Australia, the return of the relics was ultimately facilitated.
From investigation and evidence collection to transnational negotiations and the eventual return of the cultural relics, the success is a testament to the continuous efforts of relevant departments and the positive results achieved through international cooperation in cultural relic protection.
In fact, there have been many similar attempts to recover lost cultural relics in recent years. In 2020, the head of the main Buddha statue on the north wall of Cave 8 of the Tianlongshan Grottoes in Shanxi Province, which had been lost overseas for nearly a century, appeared at a Japanese auction market. After the State Administration of Cultural Heritage actively pursued and coordinated with various parties, it was finally returned to China. In 2025, the Warring States silk manuscripts “Five Elements Order” and “Attack and Defense Divination” from Zidanku, Changsha, which had been lost to the United States for 79 years, were finally returned to their homeland after China conducted research on the provenance of cultural relics, formed a complete chain of evidence, and held multiple rounds of consultations with the United States.
The loss of cultural relics has various causes. Some stem from war and turmoil, some from looting and smuggling, and others from their wandering overseas during historical changes. But regardless of the reasons, for a civilization like China with a long history, the large number of precious cultural relics scattered overseas remains a historical regret that is difficult to let go of.
In particular, during the period when modern China experienced poverty and weakness, and was unable to protect its own cultural heritage, countless precious cultural relics were forced to leave behind a deep national pain. Our persistent pursuit of lost cultural relics is not only to bring these national treasures back to their homeland, but also to trace the path of history and continue the lineage of civilization. For countless Chinese people, this is also a vivid portrayal of Chinese civilization regaining its confidence and being reborn.
On a broader level, the recovery of individual cultural relics also stems from a more systematic institutional framework. The newly revised Cultural Relics Protection Law, which came into effect in March 2025, explicitly stipulates that the state reserves the right to recover cultural relics lost overseas due to theft, illegal export, or other reasons, without any time limit. The “15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of National Cultural Relics,” issued this year, also proposes strengthening the investigation, tracing, and historical research of Chinese cultural relics overseas, and promoting the repatriation of lost cultural relics. The pursuit of lost cultural relics “returning home” will not stop; China is making more systematic and sustained efforts to ensure that lost cultural relics find their way home.
It’s worth noting that the public has shown tremendous enthusiasm for these returned cultural relics. In 2026, the Zhejiang Provincial Museum exhibited the returned Yuanmingyuan bronze animal heads, attracting nearly 60,000 visitors in just two days, with queues exceeding five hours at times. Therefore, the return of cultural relics should not be the end of the story. How to properly protect these relics that have endured so much, how to reconstruct their history through in-depth research, and how to give more people the opportunity to understand and appreciate them are equally important issues.
The best destiny for cultural relics is not only to return to their homeland, but also to be seen and understood again in today’s life. People also hope that after their return, cultural relics can step out of the warehouse and approach the public, showcasing the wisdom and ingenuity of our ancestors in creating civilization, and telling the story of the efforts and dedication of people today in protecting history.