Calls for British Museum to Return Chinese Artefacts Gain Traction

The British Museum faces mounting pressure to return Chinese artefacts following a suspected theft scandal.

The British Museum Grapples with Calls to Return Chinese Artefacts Amid Scandal

China‘s digital realm is buzzing, and at the heart of this cyberspace chatter is the British Museum. Specifically, an impassioned call is going out for the museum to return Chinese artefacts. This comes after the revelation that nearly 2,000 items from the museum’s inventory were recently reported as “missing, stolen, or damaged.”

What Sparked the Latest Outcry?

This trending demand has climbed the social ranks following an op-ed in Global Times, a newspaper known for its nationalist stance. Published on a recent Sunday night, the piece unreservedly asked for the museum to return all Chinese cultural relics “free of charge.”

What adds intrigue is that the Chinese government remains tight-lipped on this scorching issue. The BBC has been in touch with the British Museum for their take, but as of now, their comment section remains blank.

The museum isn’t a stranger to controversy. It was already under the microscope after it emerged that a significant number of its items were unaccounted for. Notably, the news has led to internal shake-ups, including the firing of a staff member and the announced departure of its director, Hartwig Fischer.

Global Times goes a step further in its critique. The paper lambasts the museum for failing to protect “cultural property belonging to other countries.” They argue that the scandal reveals significant gaps in the British Museum’s ability to safeguard foreign artifacts, thereby shattering the long-held belief that such objects are safer under its care.

The Chinese Perspective: More than Just Artefacts

The British Museum boasts the largest collection of Chinese antiquities in the Western world, from Neolithic era artifacts to modern pieces. Its possession includes a wide variety of treasured items like paintings, jade, bronzes, and ceramics. One standout is a replica of the scroll “Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies,” hailed as a monumental achievement in Chinese art history.

But the Chinese people seem to be saying that enough is enough. The hashtag “#TheBritishMuseumPleaseReturnChineseAntiquities” has swept Weibo, viewed more than half a billion times. While thousands are voicing their support for the repatriation of these treasured items, some are questioning the online uproar. “Why not go to the UK for our treasures instead of just shouting on Weibo?” questions one skeptic, liked by over 10,000 people.

A Global Echo: China Isn’t Alone

This demand for artifact repatriation isn’t a chorus sung by China alone. In the wake of the alleged thefts, other countries like Greece and Nigeria have also declared that the British Museum can’t be trusted with safeguarding their cultural heritage.

Tim Loughton MP, a Conservative figure leading a parliamentary group for the museum, however, calls these global demands “opportunistic,” suggesting that countries should assist in recovering the objects rather than staking their claim.

It remains unclear what, if any, steps the Chinese government will take in response. But what is clear is that this issue is fuelling a bigger global conversation about the rightful home for cultural artifacts.