The Kuomintang think tank initiated a joint petition, calling for the rescue of cultural relics in the Lanqianshan Museum so that the cultural relics can stay in the National Palace Museum in Taiwan.

(Provided by National Foundation)

[Reporter Lin Liangsheng/Taipei Report] The Kuomintang think tank National Policy Research Foundation launched a joint action to appeal for the rescue of the cultural relics of the Lanqianshan Museum, hoping that the cultural relics can stay in Taiwan. The Palace Museum, the Palace Museum has recently asked future generations to take it back, and the cultural relics may leave Taiwan. It calls on the Ministry of Culture to designate the Lanqian cultural relics as national treasures so that the cultural relics can stay in Taiwan.

The cultural relics of the Lanqianshan Pavilion are the collections deposited in the Forbidden City by Lin Boshou of Lin Benyuan's family in Banqiao and his descendants.

"Lan" and "Qian" respectively refer to the "Lanting on Yellow Silk" by Chu Suiliang, a master of Tang calligraphy, and Huai Su's "Thousand-Character Essay on Grass".

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Lin Boshou signed a contract with the Forbidden City in 1969 to hand over the collections in the museum to the Forbidden City for storage. Today, the number of cultural relics in storage has increased to 349, including 133 famous paintings, 107 Buddhist scriptures, and 109 famous inkstones.

However, this agreement was notified by the Forbidden City that it would be terminated before it expired on October 31, 2022.

The National Government Foundation held a press conference today, announcing that it will launch a joint action to rescue the cultural relics of the Lanqianshan Pavilion, hoping that the national treasure will be in Taiwan. Chen Xuesheng said that the cultural relics of the Lanqianshan Pavilion have been deposited in the Forbidden City after eight directors of the Forbidden City.

Two weeks before the expiration of the contract, the Forbidden City suddenly sent a message to the Lin family, asking the Lin family to take it back. Not only did the Lin family be caught off guard, but it also made people worry that Lan Qian's cultural relics might leave Taiwan because of this.

Chen Xuesheng emphasized that the Lanqian cultural relics collection only occupies 4 cabinets, and there is no reason for the lack of space; and according to Articles 65, 68, and 72 of the Culture and Assets Law, the central and local governments have responsibilities for general surveys, protection, and preservation of cultural relics.

Chen Xuesheng said that he will launch a joint action of "rescue the cultural relics of the Lanqianshan Museum and keep the national treasures in Taiwan" on the public policy network participation platform of the National Development Council, request the Forbidden City to continue to sign the cultural relics storage contract of the Lanqianshan Museum, and ask the Ministry of Culture to follow the documents Law, designate Lanqian cultural relics as national treasures, and ask legislators to fulfill their duties of supervision and protection of national treasures.

Li Yongping, chairman of the Taiwan Art Creation Cultural Foundation, believes that the joint signature action will receive a response regardless of political parties. People who are engaged in cultural work understand that without cultural inheritance, there will be no creation, and without protecting national treasures, there will be no soft power for competition. For a country known for its cultural soft power, the law should try its best to protect national treasures, and continuously expand the lineup and content of national treasures.

Li Yongping believes that Wu Micha, director of the Forbidden City, may take the opportunity to show political correctness and exclude the national treasure on the grounds of insufficient space, which may lead to the fate of the national treasure being exiled and robbed.

But this will make the international community think that the Republic of China does not care about protecting cultural relics or cultural heritage.