In a historic moment for cultural preservation, the Zidanku Silk Manuscripts – the oldest known texts written on silk in China – have returned to Beijing after nearly eight decades in the United States. The manuscripts, dating back to the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), arrived Sunday following a formal transfer from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art.
Discovered in a sealed tomb near Changsha City in Hunan Province, these fragile documents were stolen in 1942 by grave robbers and illegally transported overseas in 1946. Their journey home marks the culmination of years of diplomatic and academic efforts between Chinese authorities and U.S. cultural institutions.
"This repatriation demonstrates our shared commitment to preserving humanity's cultural legacy," a spokesperson for the National Cultural Heritage Administration stated. The manuscripts offer unprecedented insights into early Chinese philosophy, astronomy, and religious practices, with researchers anticipating new discoveries about pre-Qin dynasty thought.
The Smithsonian institution noted the transfer aligns with international conventions protecting cultural property, while Chinese conservation experts have begun meticulous preservation work to prepare the texts for future scholarly study and controlled public display.
