Authorities publish cases on legal protection of cultural relics

China's top court and top cultural heritage regulator jointly released five landmark cases on Friday, demonstrating their commitment to the judicial protection, management and utilization of cultural relics.

The Supreme People's Court emphasized the importance of protecting cultural relics for the inheritance of excellent traditional culture, stating that the published cases serve as a public warning and guidance to enhance legal awareness.

It urged courts at all levels to crack down on illegal activities that disrupt the management of cultural relics, highlighting that protection should be top priority.

In one disclosed case, a man surnamed Wang, along with five others, was found to have excavated ancient tombs in November 2020 in Xuyi county, Jiangsu province, and Tianchang city, Anhui province.

The stolen mirrors and bronze swords were identified as cultural relics dating from the Warring States period (475-221 BC) to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).

While the case was under investigation and the stolen cultural relics were being recovered, the Xuyi museum funded a rescue archaeological excavation of the ancient tombs.

The court in Xuyi sentenced Wang to 10 years and three months in prison and fined him for the crime of illegally excavating ancient tombs. Additionally, the court ordered him to reimburse the museum for over 70,000 yuan ($9,828) spent on the rescue excavation.

The top court highlighted the importance of cracking down on and severely punishing acts that damage cultural relics. It also called on judges nationwide to use legal measures to strengthen the regulation and management of cultural relics.

Furthermore, courts were encouraged to effectively utilize the observational and educational value of cultural relics through the rule of law.