CGTN: Call Grows For Repatriation Of Ancient Chinese Manuscripts
KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 (Bernama) -- Renewed calls for the repatriation of the Chu Silk Manuscripts, an over 2,000-year-old Chinese cultural artefact currently held in the United States (US), have drawn international attention following new evidence presented by Chinese and American scholars.
The manuscripts, believed to be the only known silk texts from China's Warring States period (475 to 221 BC), were reportedly looted from an ancient tomb in Changsha, Hunan Province, in 1942. The artefact was later smuggled to the US in 1946 by American collector John Hadley Cox, following its acquisition under contentious circumstances in Shanghai.
In a report published by China Global Television Network (CGTN), researchers traced the full journey of the manuscripts—from their discovery at a site known as Zidanku to their current location at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C.
Chinese scholar Professor Li Ling of Peking University, who has spent over four decades researching the manuscripts, presented a detailed chain of evidence confirming their origin and ownership, according to a statement.
His findings were supported by Professor Donald Harper of the University of Chicago, who in 2024 submitted a crucial artefact—an original storage box lid used by Cox—which helped corroborate the timeline.
"The Zidanku Silk Manuscripts clearly belong to China and should be returned," said Prof Harper during the International Conference on the Protection and Return of Cultural Objects Removed from Colonial Contexts, held in Qingdao last year.
The manuscripts, which date back approximately 2,300 years, are considered a unique record of ancient Chinese cosmology and ritual practices, predating the Dead Sea Scrolls by over a century.
Attempts to return the manuscript were previously made by American physician and art collector Dr Arthur M. Sackler, who acquired the artefact in 1966. Although he made multiple efforts to repatriate it to China, they were ultimately unfulfilled due to logistical and personal circumstances.
Currently housed in the Sackler Gallery, the manuscript is listed on the museum's website as an "anonymous gift" with 'provenance research underway'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
20 hours ago
- New Straits Times
China joins global scientists in exploring hadal zone
HAIKOU: A pioneering international initiative for hadal zone exploration, led by Chinese scientists, has received official approval from the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), Xinhua reported. The Global Hadal Exploration Programme (GHEP), spearheaded by the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), aims to transform fragmented hadal research into a coordinated global mission to explore, understand and protect the planet's most inaccessible marine ecosystems. The hadal zone comprises primarily of ocean trenches, particularly from a depth of 6,000 metres to the bottom of the ocean up to about 11,000 metres. The hadal environment is characterised by extreme depths and pressures, darkness, low temperatures, frequent earthquakes, and peculiar living forms. For a long time, the hadal trenches have been among the most under-explored and mysterious areas on earth due to technological limitations. China has been a key driver of deep-sea exploration over the past decade through sustained sci-tech advancements. In 2014, the CAS launched the Hadal Science and Technology Programme, followed by a historic dive to the Mariana Trench's 10,000-metre depths in 2016. By 2022, the CAS initiated the Global Trench Dive and Exploration Programme, leveraging its cutting-edge manned submersible Fendouzhe (Striver) and the Tansuo research vessels. "Venturing deeper is about understanding our ocean so we can coexist with it," said Du Mengran, a lead researcher at IDSSE. "Global cooperation in these 'untouched zones' will redefine the boundaries of marine science and provide critical knowledge for deep-sea conservation and sustainable use," she said. To date, Chinese scientists have collaborated with 145 researchers from 10 countries, exploring nine hadal trenches worldwide, including the Mariana, the Kermadec and Puysegur trenches. Starting from this year, GHEP will unify international research on extreme environments, life evolution, and geological processes in the hadal zone. The programme will establish international research hubs, organise joint deep-diving expeditions, and host regular symposia while offering training and open access to samples, data, and facilities – particularly for young scientists, Du added. GHEP brings together research institutions from New Zealand, Denmark, Germany, Chile, France, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, India, the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Portugal and other countries. – Bernama
Sinar Daily
a day ago
- Sinar Daily
Rare firefly species discovered in Bukit Kiara forest enclave
KUALA LUMPUR - Discovering something rare is exciting but it becomes truly memorable when it happens unexpectedly. That was exactly the case for Tan Wei Jack, 24, a research assistant and master's student in environmental science at Monash University Malaysia. He never imagined that a routine firefly survey at Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara here on Oct 23 last year, would lead to the unintentional "rediscovery' of a rare species last seen in Malaysia a century ago. Of the nine Pteroptyx species found in mangrove forests, four have been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. - Bernama photo His discovery - Pteroptyx gombakia (P. gombakia) or the Gombak bent-winged firefly - turned out to be the third known specimen of this particular species, and marked the ninth known firefly species identified in the Bukit Kiara urban forest, Malaysia's first federal park which is managed by the National Landscape Department. P. gombakia was officially named in 2015 by entomologist Lesly Ballantyne at the Natural History Museum in London, based on the first specimen of the species collected in 1921 from the area now known as Genting Sempah in Gombak, Selangor. Tan said the firefly specimen he collected last October was initially assumed to be of a species from the genus Colophotia, which is commonly found in Bukit Kiara. But later when he examined it closely on Jan 9, it looked different. "So I took some photos through the microscope and sent them to my academic supervisor Dr Wan Faridah (Akmal Jusoh). After discussions, we found out it was actually a bent-winged P. gombakia (from a different genus),' he told Bernama recently. Tan said he, together with Dr Wan Faridah - a firefly taxonomist and senior lecturer in Biodiversity and Conservation at Monash University Malaysia - returned to Bukit Kiara to do more research. "Whenever we saw their flashing lights (usually at twilight), we would catch the fireflies, observe their features, record their species and then release them,' he said. MANGROVE SPECIES According to Wan Faridah, who is also the co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission Firefly Specialist Group, P. gombakia belongs to the genus Pteroptyx, which is usually found in mangrove habitats and known for its synchronous flashing displays in large congregations. She added there is a group of Pteroptyx called 'bent-winged' fireflies, named after their folded wings, which are also mostly found in mangroves. She said she was surprised when Tan showed her the specimen collected from the Bukit Kiara urban forest as it was "the first bent-winged Pteroptyx ever found outside of mangroves'. "This suggests that the species can actually survive outside that ecosystem,' she told Bernama. Wan Faridah also said she did not realise Tan's specimen was the bent-winged Pteroptyx until she examined its microscopic images. "The difference (between P. gombakia and the more common Colophotia) was spotted in the (P. gombakia) firefly's light-producing organ called the 'lantern', which is located in the insect's abdomen,' she said. She explained both P. gombakia and Colophotia have bipartite light organs, meaning the structure is divided into two distinct sections. However, P. gombakia lacks a median carina, a ridge that separates the organ into two halves. "Indeed, it's truly magical we have this rare group of fireflies living in the heart of our city,' she said. She also said out of the 14 known bent-winged Pteroptyx species, nine are found in mangrove ecosystems. The habitats of the remaining species, including P. gombakia, remain unclear due to a lack of ecological data. TYPES OF FIREFLIES Fireflies belong to Lampyridae, a family of insects within the Coleoptera order, which includes bioluminescent beetles. Wan Faridah said globally, more than 2,600 firefly species have been identified. In Malaysia, over 60 species have been documented so far, with at least 10 of them found in mangrove swamps. She said one of the main characteristics distinguishing territorial fireflies from mangrove forest fireflies is their behaviour: the former typically fly alone while the latter - also known as congregating fireflies - gather and display their light in groups. Of the nine Pteroptyx species found in mangrove forests, four have been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. "Usually, two to three species can be found congregating in a single mangrove tree, and these insects require suitable water levels and temperatures to ensure the survival of their species,' she said. Wan Faridah noted that most fireflies found flying in both mangrove and terrestrial habitats are males while some females are flightless, remaining on the ground while the males fly and use light signals to locate and attract them. While congregating fireflies in mangrove swamps are well-known as ecotourism attractions in Malaysia, Wan Faridah said solitary fireflies also exist in other forest types. The Bukit Kiara urban forest, for instance, is now home to nine firefly species, including Lamprigera - the world's largest female firefly species - and the latest discovery P. gombakia. EXTINCTION Wan Faridah said unlike most Pteroptyx species, the bent-winged firefly species recently discovered in Bukit Kiara does not appear to congregate in large numbers. "We don't have enough data about this species and we still have many unanswered questions. "What worries us is that we may have discovered a species (P. gombakia) which is on the brink of extinction. So currently, we are racing against time to find the answers,' she said. According to Wan Faridah, threats to P. gombakia include habitat loss due to urban development and artificial lighting at night, which causes light pollution and disrupts the flashing signals fireflies use to communicate with each other. "Every rediscovered firefly species is evidence that extinction is possible but it can still be prevented if we act. "If more people become aware of these endangered fireflies, perhaps more efforts will be made to protect their habitats,' she said. Wan Faridah also said despite the potential of fireflies as ecotourism assets, one of the main challenges for researchers in Malaysia is the lack of a proper species inventory and natural history collection, which would serve as a valuable archive of insect diversity. She said research on fireflies in Malaysia is limited, making conservation efforts more difficult. "I had no intention of becoming an entomologist until I discovered kelip-kelip (fireflies) in 2006 during a final year project field trip to Kampung Sepetang, Perak, when I was an environmental science undergraduate at Universiti Putra Malaysia. "I became curious and told my supervisor I wanted to study fireflies... but due to the lack of local studies (on fireflies), I had to start from scratch - building my own database by collecting species across Malaysia,' she said, adding her research focuses not only on biodiversity but also on the natural heritage of fireflies. She also pointed out that due to colonial-era practices, many specimens originally from Malaysia are now stored in foreign institutions. "Due to the lack of facilities in Malaysia, as part of my research projects, I need to travel to countries like the Netherlands, France and England to visit their natural history museums to compare reference specimens of fireflies that were collected during the colonial era,' she said. She added that the process of recognising and verifying new firefly discoveries takes at least two years, and requires both funding and facilities. "In Malaysia, very few firefly studies have been carried out. Even when discoveries are made, it is difficult for us to confirm whether they are new or just duplicates of existing species,' she said. Wan Faridah also hopes to build an extensive species database and discover new species of fireflies. "I want to reconstruct the data so we can have a comprehensive list of what species we actually have here in Malaysia. "My goal is to develop a national species inventory so that future generations who want to study fireflies can refer to it, so we can continue the legacy of protecting Malaysia's firefly biodiversity,' she said. - BERNAMA
Sinar Daily
2 days ago
- Sinar Daily
Earliest proof of humans using whale bone tools discovered
The bones, found on the northern Spanish coast in the Bay of Biscay, show that we have been underestimating our prehistoric ancestors, the European-led team of scientists said. 07 Jun 2025 04:01pm There was a boom in whale bones between 17,500 and 16,000 BC, when tools have been found as far away as Germany. - Photo illustrated by Sinar Daily PARIS - Scientists announced they have discovered the earliest evidence of humans using whale bones, finding weapons made from the remains of the massive mammals dating back more than 20,000 years. The bones, found on the northern Spanish coast in the Bay of Biscay, show that we have been underestimating our prehistoric ancestors, the European-led team of scientists said. Some of the bones were collected more than a century ago but were misidentified. The researchers used carbon-dating, as well as spectrometry analysis to determine what species the bones were from. - Photo illustrated by Sinar Daily Southwest Europe was much colder during the Upper Palaeolithic period, and the Atlantic Ocean was 120 metres (400 feet) lower than its current level. As the seas rose over the millennia, it destroyed or buried much of the proof that these hunter-gatherers interacted with the marine world, French prehistoric archaeologist Jean-Marc Petillon told AFP. This led to a "biased" vision that they only hunted inland beasts such as reindeer, bison and horses, the lead author of a new study in Nature Communications said. "Fortunately for us, people at the time transported a number of marine products inland," he added. Perched on a cliff, these humans would likely have been able to see blue, sperm, bowhead and other whales relatively near the shore, looking for food. Among their discoveries, the researchers found more than 60 fragments of whale ribs or vertebrae. These huge bones were carried up to five kilometres (three miles) to the top of a steep cliff, possibly to extract their oil. "These bones are very rich in fat," Petillon explained. Most of the bone tools were parts of weapons, such as the tips of spears. But it is "extremely unlikely" these ancient humans were able to hunt whales, the study said, adding that it was more likely that the huge animals had simply washed up on the beach. Some of the bones were collected more than a century ago but were misidentified. The researchers used carbon-dating, as well as spectrometry analysis to determine what species the bones were from. There was a boom in whale bones between 17,500 and 16,000 BC, when tools have been found as far away as Germany. "Then it stopped quite abruptly" for reasons that are not clear, Petillon said. The people of the time did not run out of bones, nor did they lose the bone-working techniques. "It could be a choice... like a fashion that lasts a millennium or two and then, at some point, stops," Petillon said. - AFP More Like This
