On May 28, the highly anticipated exhibition “The Return of National Treasures – A Special Exhibition of Yuanmingyuan Animal Head Statues and Overseas Repatriated Cultural Relics” opens at the new building of the Anhui Museum. This is the largest exhibition of overseas repatriated cultural relics ever held in Anhui. The exhibition is jointly organized by the Anhui Museum, Anhui Radio and Television Media Industry Group, and Poly Art Museum.

The twelve bronze zodiac animal head statues were originally the main components of the water clock fountain of the Twelve Zodiac Animals at Haiyantang Hall in the Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace) during the Qing Dynasty. Each of the twelve animal heads corresponded to one of the twelve traditional Chinese time periods (shichen), spouting water to mark the time throughout the day and night. This masterpiece combined the Eastern zodiac and timekeeping system with Western fountain and clock technology, representing the cultural fusion and exquisite craftsmanship of the Qing Dynasty’s golden age.

In 1860, during the Second Opium War, the Anglo-French allied forces burned Yuanmingyuan, destroying and looting many treasures. Since then, the twelve zodiac bronze statues have been scattered overseas, suffering damage, resale, and drifting across the world. From 2000 to the present, through official and private efforts, seven of the heads — the Ox, Tiger, Monkey, Pig, Horse, Rat, and Rabbit — have returned to China via auctions, donations, and other means. The whereabouts of the remaining five statues remain unknown.

The exhibition is divided into three sections: “Gathering in Prosperity,” “Radiant Auspicious Metal,” and “Reappearance of Form.” Apart from showcasing the seven bronze animal head statues of Haiyantang Hall from Yuanmingyuan, it also displays 87 precious cultural relics repatriated from overseas, including bronzes from the Shang, Zhou, and Han dynasties, and Buddhist stone sculptures from the Northern Dynasties. The exhibition highlights the brilliance of Chinese civilization and the complex journey of these treasures returning home. The exhibition is scheduled to last until August 31, 2025.

Source: anhuinews.com