Peking University Project Maps Over 23,000 Ancient Chinese Artifacts Held Abroad

23,000 bronzes, 14 years, 60 volumes: how China is mapping lost heritage held abroad

In the quiet of a Peking University research room, shelves groan under the weight of 60 thick volumes. Stacked, they stand taller than an average human. Inside their pages lie details of more than 23,000 ancient Chinese bronze vessels, weapons, chariot fittings and ritual objects that left China’s shores long ago and now sit in museums, private collections and auction houses across nearly 30 countries. Published in April by Shanghai Classics Publishing House, the Collection of Chinese Bronzes...

By Jane Cai,Caroline Lin