Australia Returns Chinese Cultural Relics from Song Dynasty Imperial Tombs

On October 28, China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration formally accepted two Song Dynasty imperial tomb stone reliefs returned by the Australian government at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. The artifacts, which include the heads of the civilian and military officials from the Yongchangling and Yongyuling tombs in Gongyi, Henan, bring a thousand-year-old royal procession back to a full complement.

Chinese authorities have successfully reclaimed two important cultural artifacts from Australia, marking a significant milestone in the restitution of looted Chinese cultural relics. On October 28th, the China National Cultural Administration formally accepted the return of two head sculptures from the Song Dynasty imperial tombs at Yanchangling and Yongyuling in Gongyi, Henan. These artifacts, which were taken from the heads of stone tomb guardians, were returned by the Australian government after being held in the Australian National Gallery for over a century. The Chinese heads, made of limestone, are both of distinct historical and artistic value. The larger of the two, the military official's head, measures 68 centimeters in height and weighs 132 kilograms, while the civil official's head is slightly taller at 70 centimeters and weighs 223 kilograms. The stone heads had stood lonely in vast fields in Henan for a millennium, serving as silent witnesses to agricultural cycles before being stolen in the early 20th century and subsequently lost to Australia. These stone heads, originally part of the most celebrated Song Dynasty tomb guardian statues in Gongyi, are key components of the 'outdoor stone sculpture art museum' that the area is known to be. Sadly, similar to many other Song Dynasty relics, the tomb guardian stone heads have been subjected to destruction and looting over the centuries, leading to the disappearance of the heads and bodies. China and Australia, both signatories of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, have recently strengthened their cooperation in repatriating lost cultural treasures. This collaboration was exemplified by Australia’s return of five precious cultural heritage items, including a painted terracotta figures on horseback, to China in 2023. This successful repatriation reinforces the legal framework that allows for the recovery of stolen or illegally exported cultural property without any time restrictions.