Twelve animal sculptures from Yuan Ming Yuan (also called the
Old Summer Palace) which were taken out of China by the
Anglo-French Allied Forces during the Second Opium War in 1860 have
been successfully replicated by Ji Guge, an old brand workshop that
specializes in repairs, processing and reproduction of cultural
relics in Beijing.
One of the replicas of 12 animal
sculptures from Yuan Ming Yuan, dragon. Photo taken at Ji Guge on
September 13.?
The twelve animal sculptures are the greatest representations of
the blend between Eastern and Western cultures. They stand on the
banks of Hai Yantang, one of the most famous sites inside Yuan Ming
Yuan. These hollow animal sculptures have water pipes protruding
from their mouths that project water every two hours. They consist
of a carved stone human body with an animal head made of
bronze.
From 2000 to 2003, four of the sculptures: the ox, the tiger,
the monkey and the pig were regained from various auctions at a
total cost of 37 million yuan (US$4.9 milion) and returned to
China. The whereabouts of the remaining animals are either unknown
or in the collections of foreign museums and individuals.
In order to share the past splendor and artistic triumph of
these works of art with the public, Ji Guge created replicas of all
12 animal sculptures based on extensive research from historical
records.
The replicas of 12 animal sculptures from
Yuan Ming Yuan?were unveiled in Beijing. Photo taken at Ji
Guge on September?13.
(CRI.cn September 14, 2007)
