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China Reclaims Song Dynasty Treasures from Australia
29 Oct
Summary
- Two Northern Song Dynasty head statues were repatriated to China.
- The statues were part of the National Gallery of Australia's collection since 1995.
- The return follows a 2025 request and international collaboration on heritage protection.
Australia recently handed over two Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) head statues to China. The ceremony, held in Canberra, saw the return of a civil official and a military official statue, originally from Song imperial mausoleums in Henan province. These relics had been part of the National Gallery of Australia's collection since 1995.
The restitution process began with a request from China's National Cultural Heritage Administration in 2025. Both nations collaborated under international agreements, successfully securing the return of these cultural artifacts. Chinese Ambassador Liu Jinsong expressed gratitude for the cooperation, emphasizing the event as a "new beginning for research, conservation and cultural heritage."
Nick Mitzevich, director of the National Gallery of Australia, affirmed the institution's commitment to ethical collection management and international partnership. Tang Wei, deputy director of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration, described such returns as an "act of justice" that safeguards national heritage and sentiments.
This repatriation follows a similar event three years prior, where Australia returned five relics to China. Experts note a growing trend favoring countries seeking the return of lost cultural heritage, supported by international conventions like UNESCO's 1970 Convention.
