Long-lost ancient Chinese silk manuscripts returned to Changsha

Two volumes of an ancient Chinese silk manuscript, which had been illegally taken overseas 79 years ago, have finally returned to their rightful home in Changsha, Central China's Hunan province. A repatriation ceremony was held at the Hunan Museum on Monday to mark the official return.

As the earliest Chinese silk texts discovered to date and the only known ones from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) found in China, the manuscript was named after the Zidanku area of Changsha, where it was stolen by grave robbers in 1942. It was subsequently smuggled to the United States in 1946.

On Monday, Volumes II and III of the three-volume Zidanku Silk Manuscript, titled Wuxing Ling and Gongshou Zhan respectively, were permanently archived in the Hunan Museum.

This came after the artifacts were handed over by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in the US and transferred to China's National Cultural Heritage Administration in May.

Rao Quan, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, stated at the accession ceremony in Changsha that the return of the manuscripts is a significant achievement resulting from years of Sino-US cultural and museum cooperation, setting an example for international collaboration in artifact restitution.

Chase Robinson, director of the US museum, said the transfer demonstrates the museum's firm commitment to preserving cultural heritage and continuing its long-standing tradition of collaboration with Chinese cultural institutions.

The manuscripts underwent a 14-day environmental adaptation period after arriving at the Hunan Museum last month and are now preserved in a stable environment with precise temperature and humidity control, according to the museum. Meanwhile, the museum also launched a holographic data collection project to create high-resolution imaging of the texts on the manuscripts for comprehensive digital archives.

The museum will share all research developments related to the manuscripts with scholars worldwide and welcomes international collaboration to jointly explore new approaches for conservation.