South Korea returns a pair of Qing Dynasty stone lions to China

South Korea recently held a handover ceremony in Seoul, officially returning a pair of Qing dynasty stone lions to China. The National Cultural Heritage Administration of China received the cultural relics at the ceremony from the National Museum of Korea, with the related work carried out under委托 by the Kansong Art Museum in South Korea. According to the introduction, the pair of stone lions are made of marble. Based on their size, carving, and form, they were originally intended to stand before the gates of the residences of Qing dynasty princes, princesses, and other nobles. Records show that the pair was auctioned in Osaka in 1933 and then acquired, and in 1938 they were displayed in the Kansong Art Museum when it opened. During his lifetime, the museum’s founder had long hoped to return them to China. Rao Quan, Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism of China and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said the return was a practical step to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of China and South Korea on deepening peopletopeople and cultural exchanges. It also reflects the shared willingness of both sides to promote the return of lost cultural relics and strengthen cooperation on cultural heritage. Korean representatives also said that this decision reflects respect for China’s history and culture, and hoped to use it as an opportunity to continue expanding cultural relic exchanges between the two countries.