The stolen copper window core of the Baoyun Pavilion of the Summer Palace has returned, and it has been perfectly restored after 31 years.
The year 2024 marks the 110th anniversary of the opening of the Summer Palace to the public in Beijing, and on this special occasion, the stolen copper window core of the Baoyun Pavilion in the history of the Summer Palace has returned after 31 years of recovery. On January 10th, a page of the bronze window core of Baoyun Pavilion, which had been lost overseas, donated by three caring people, was allocated to the Summer Palace, injecting new cultural heritage into this ancient building.
Baoyun Pavilion, built in the Qing Dynasty Qianlong 20 years (1755), cast by the wax method, 755 meters and weighs about 207 tons. Sitting north and facing south, every component of Baoyun Pavilion is cast in copper, including beams, columns, fangs, rafters, bucket arches, roof tiles, treasure roofs, doors and windows, and plaques. The theft of 10 copper windows and 31 copper cores in the early 20th century of this Bowen Pavilion has become a major defect in its integrity.
In the past 31 years, thanks to the attention and promotion of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, as well as the generous donations of friendly people at home and abroad, the copper windows and copper window cores that were lost in the history of Baoyun Pavilion have been returned to the Summer Palace one after another. The donated copper window core is the same as the shape and structure of the existing copper window core of Bowen Court, and the content of metal elements is consistent with other components of Bowen Court through professional analyzer testing. After the appraisal of cultural relics experts and the working group for the collection of the Summer Palace, this page of copper window core was confirmed to be the original part of Baoyun Pavilion.
Du Juan, deputy director of the Summer Palace, said that the return of the copper window core of Baoyun Pavilion not only added a precious cultural relic to the Summer Palace, but also restored the integrity of the cultural relics of Baoyun Pavilion. This historical moment bears witness to the arduous efforts of the return of cultural relics and the common responsibility of all parties to protect culture. The return of the bronze window core of the Bowen Pavilion will present a long history to the public and add to the 110th anniversary celebration of the Summer Palace.