UK returns 68 artifacts stolen from China

宝安外语协会

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In February 1995, the British police informed Chinese Embassy in the UK that they found some suspected stolen Chinese artifacts while investigating an international cultural relics crime case.

The China State Administration in collaboration with British police identified and confirmed that the artifacts in question were Chinese cultural relics and were not suposed to leave the country.

After being contacted by the China State Administration of Cultural relics, in February 1998, two main suspects in the case reached an agreement with the State Administration of Cultural relics for the return of cultural relics. In May, more than 3000 cultural relics were returned to Beijing. In August, another suspect in the case reached a settlement with the State Administration of cultural relics and returned seven cultural relics.

However, in this case, a buyer of cultural relics refused to participate in the negotiation, and the relics involved were held by British police. The National Bureau of cultural relics has never given up its pursuit. It has kept communications with the Chinese Embassy in the UK and the British police.

In January 2020, the Metropolitan Police in London contacted Chinese Embassy in the UK and informed them that because the man who bought the artifacts was MIA, his whereabouts unknown, the artifacts are classified as ownerless but since they are of Chinese origin, they offered to return them to the Chinese government.

The State Administration of Cultural relics on it's part prepared all the required documents to be able to receive and transport the artifacts from London to China.

On October 19, the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom specially assigned personnel to bring the artifacts to London Heathrow International Airport, from where they will be transported to China.

According to the appraisal organized by the State Administration of cultural relics, the artifacts include porcelain, pottery, stone tools and bronze ware. The time span ranges from the Warring States Period to the Qing Dynasty, and the geographical distribution is Jiangxi, Anhui, Fujian, Henan, Shaanxi, Hebei, Guizhou, etc.

On the whole, the artifacts are good in appearance and more in quality. The three color seven star plate of Tang Dynasty, blue and white porcelain of Song Dynasty, stone carving horse of yuan and Ming Dynasties, and a group of four celadon plum vases from the end of Yuan Dynasty to the beginning of Ming Dynasty have important historical, artistic and scientific values. Some of them are shown below.

△Belt hook

△Tricolor pot

△The seven star plate of the Tang Dynasty

△Stone-curved horse

△Celadon plum vase with a lid

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