The Case for Repatriating China’s Cultural Objects

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxix

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2. The Loss of Cultural Relics in Modern Chinese History

   • Zuozhen Liu

   Pages 1-22

3. Law and Ethics Protecting Cultural Objects

   • Zuozhen Liu

   Pages 23-54

4. Restitution Through International Adjudication: Looted Cultural Objects Case Studies

   • Zuozhen Liu

   Pages 55-81

5. Restitution Through Civil Litigation: A Case Study of the Dunhuang Manuscripts

   • Zuozhen Liu

   Pages 83-111

6. Cultural Identity: The Politics of Recognition

   • Zuozhen Liu

   Pages 113-143

7. Why Lost Cultural Relics Matter in China

   • Zuozhen Liu

   Pages 145-166

8. Conclusions and Recommendations

   • Zuozhen Liu

   Pages 167-171

9. Back Matter

   Pages 173-179

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This book investigates China's demands for the repatriation of Chinese cultural relics 'lost' during the country's modern  history. It addresses two main research questions: Can the original owners, or their rightful successors, of cultural objects looted, stolen, or illicitly exported before the adoption of the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1970 UNESCO Convention reclaim their cultural objects pursuant to remedies provided by international or national law? And what are the philosphical, ethical, and cultural considerations of identity underlying the international conventions protecting cultural objects and claims made for repatriating them? The first part of the book explores current positive legal regimes, while the second part focuses on the philosphical, ethical, and cultural considerations regarding repatriation of cultural objects. Consisting of seven chapters and an introduction, it outlines the loss of Chinese cultural relics in modern history and the normative framework for the protection of cultural heritage. It presents case studies designed to assess the possibility of seeking legal remedies for restitution under contemporary legal regimes and examines the cultural and ethical issues underpinning the international conventions protecting cultural heritage and claims for the repatriation of cultural heritage. It also discusses issues of cultural identity, the right to cultural identity and heritage, multiculturalism, the politics of recognition, cosmopolitanism, the right to cultural heritage, and other related issues.  The concluding chapter answers the two research questions and offers suggestions for future research.

• International law
• National Law
• Multiculturalism
• Cosmopolitanism
• Nationalism
• Cultural heritage
• Cultural identity
• Lost Cultural Relics
• Opium War
• Sino-Japanese War
• The politics of recognition

• Jinan University, Guangzhou, China

  Zuozhen Liu

Policies and ethics