Chinese authorities are investigating claims that staff at a leading state-run museum sold cultural treasures on the black market. The scandal centers on the former director of the Nanjing Museum, accused of masterminding a large-scale theft and smuggling operation. The case has drawn comparisons to the recent Louvre heist and raised questions about cultural relic management.
Chinese authorities are investigating reports that cultural treasures from a leading state-run museum, including the Nanjing Museum, were secretly sold on the market by museum staff in an alleged scam described as making the Louvre thieves look “dumb.” The scandal first came to light earlier this year when a 16th-century Ming dynasty painting, donated by the family of art collector Pang Laichen, appeared for auction.
A former underling has accused Xu Huping, the former director of the Nanjing Museum, of masterminding the large-scale theft and smuggling of national treasures. Keywords from the report include Spring in Jiangnan, Louvre heist, Pang Laichen, Nanjing Museum, Palace Museum, Xu Huping, Nanjing, Ming dynasty, Cultural Relics Protection Law, Guo Lidian, and Pang Shuling.
The scale of the alleged crimes prompted a social media commentator to compare it with the recent Paris heist, where thieves disguised as construction workers stole some of the country’s crown jewels. “Looks like the thief who stole from the Louvre still has a lot to learn – their method is just way too dumb,” the post said.
The allegations have shaken public trust in one of China’s leading museums at a time when authorities are promoting the country as a cultural superpower. They have also prompted wider questions about the handling of cultural treasures under the Cultural Relics Protection Law.