National Gallery of Australia returns precious cultural relics to China

The National Gallery of Australia has returned three significant cultural relics to China, marking the first such return in over half a century since diplomatic relations were established between China and Australia, China Central Television reported on Wednesday.

The handover ceremony took place at the Chinese Embassy in Australia, where Chinese Ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, and Australian Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, formally signed the transfer documents.

The repatriated cultural relics consist of a dinosaur fossil, a gilded bronze statue of Guanyin, and a painted ceramic figure depicting a person riding a horse.

Preliminary analysis dates the Plesiosaur fossil to the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous period, while the bronze statue of Guanyin and the painted ceramic figure can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty or even the Northern Dynasties, possessing immense historical and cultural value.

Additionally, the National Gallery of Australia has donated a bull-shaped wine vessel, the "Xi Zun," to the Chinese government. Experts have determined that this artwork is a historical imitation from the Ming-Qing dynasties or a later period based on the information and images of the relic.

All of the donated and repatriated cultural relics and artworks from the National Gallery of Australia will be made accessible to the public for viewing.