(Ecns.cn) – An elderly overseas Chinese man donated 322 treasures that have been lost abroad for ages to an exhibition hall in Taizhou in East China's Jiangsu Province, where they were put on display, Tuesday.
Shan Sheng, 72, head of the UK Chinese Association for the Promotion of National Reunification, has been living overseas for more than 60 years. Among his collections, many of them are national cultural relics and priceless artwork.
Shan donated all 322 pieces of cultural relics and artwork that he has been treasuring his whole life, including an ivory carving engraved with images of the Eight Immortals, an emerald table screen, a pear wood folding screen inlaid with jade, and artwork by Chinese master painters Zhang Daqian and Qi Baishi. The pear wood folding screen alone is estimated to be worth at least 150 million yuan ($23.2 million).
To show respect, the Taizhou local government formed a special team to handle the donations and founded the Museum of Shan Sheng's Collections.
The inauguration ceremony was held on October 18, 2011, which Shan also attended. At the ceremony, Shan was happy to share the stories of his collections and he called for other Chinese residing overseas to donate valuable collections as a way to remember their motherland.
The museum is now open to the public. Though only part of the 322 treasures is on exhibition in the two-story museum, it has attracted a large number of visitors.
