Today, in Changsha, Hunan Province of the Chinese mainland, a pair of silk scrolls dating back to the Warring States Period (475 6 221 BC) found their way back to their cultural home. The Zidanku Silk Manuscripts of Wuxing Ling (Volume II) and Gongshou Zhan (Volume III) were officially added to the collection of the Hunan Museum, closing a 79-year chapter of displacement.
These delicate silk pages represent the earliest known silk texts unearthed from the Warring States Period. Their rediscovery in tombs and subsequent transfer overseas in 1946 marked the start of a global journey. Seized and removed from the Chinese mainland, they spent decades crossing continents before international cooperation paved the way for their return.
From Tombs to Museum Halls
Silk manuscripts from the Warring States Period are exceedingly rare. The Zidanku and Gongshou Zhan volumes capture the intricate craftsmanship and scholarly life of ancient China. Their inscriptions offer a window into early literary traditions, philosophical debates, and administrative records that shaped emerging states.
Repatriation Milestone
Their repatriation comes as museums worldwide reassess collections and restore artifacts to their places of origin. For the Hunan Museum and its visitors, these silk scrolls offer a tangible link to a dynamic past 6 reminding us how cultural treasures, once lost, can redefine our collective heritage.
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Live: China's earliest known silk texts join Hunan Museum's collection
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