Why do we have the civic responsibility to protect cultural treasures in wartime?

In the middle of the 6th century, an unknown artist carved a beautiful statue nearly 6 feet high in an artificial cave in northern China. Entrusted by a Buddhist emperor in the Northern Qi Dynasty, this picture shows a bodhisattva, representing an enlightened person. He delayed entering heaven in order to help others achieve spiritual development. Together with a series of other sculptures, it formed an underground Buddhist temple, which marked the regime's desire for guidance and protection from the gods. Two ancient women's sculptures made a sound for the protection of antiquities in the war zone, but in 1909, during the civil war and lawlessness in China, they began to cut and remove the statues and carved heads from the caves of temples and sell these treasures in the art market. The Standing Bodhisattva 19 14 came to Paris and was owned by China immigrant, art dealer C.T.Loo and Swiss poet, collector and cultural relic lover Charles Vignier. Two years later, they sold the painting to the financier eugene meyer, who suggested that it be exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art immediately. He and his journalist wife Agnes owned and leased it for decades. The Meyer family finally bought * * and supported civic, educational and cultural undertakings. 1968, Agnes Meyer donated this statue to the Smithsonian Free Art Museum. A few years ago, the standing Bodhisattva helped to hold an exhibition, "Echoes of the Past" organized by the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Chicago, which included the digital reconstruction of the statue before it was looted.

We have learned a lot about sculpture by tracing back to the source of the ownership records of artworks. It is a good practice to stipulate in museums that works are legally obtained. Museums usually operate according to the UNESCO treaty of 1970, which stipulates that illegally acquired works of art should be returned to the legitimate owners. The United States and several other countries are also trying to repair and return the looted works of art during the Nazi period, which was initiated by the now famous "Monument to Men and Women".

Although museums are sometimes criticized for preserving items obtained from other countries, their goal is to preserve, display and learn these items. This is a noble and valuable civic thought. Today we can learn from the past and even be inspired by our heritage and other heritages. Civic leaders usually support cultural heritage protection and education as valuable social goals, although it is not always easy to convince politicians and officials that these efforts deserve the support of the state treasury. However, the actions taken around the world to destroy these heritages have effectively alleviated the basic mission of museums.

* * * The action of blowing up the Bamiyan Buddha statue on May 38+0, 2006 was shocking, and the action of burning medieval manuscripts in the mob library of Timbuktu and isis also shocked the Assyrian sculpture in Mosul Museum. These heinous acts have been condemned by the whole world, which shows that history, the diversity of people and the complex, multifaceted and subtle characteristics of a society have been completely obliterated.

Extremists say these things are worthless, but they cynically plunder and sell what they can take with them, and use these treasures to finance further damage. Cultural heritage, whether it is tangible monuments, temples, temples, churches and collections, or intangible lifestyles, beliefs and customs, has been attacked and has become a strategic pillar of extremist wars. Whether it is * * *, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, the East, the West or the mainland, this is a war against civilization itself. Donnie Yukana, deputy director of the Iraq Museum, showed the head of a statue collected by the Smithsonian. A few weeks ago, the British burned down the Houses of Parliament, the White House and other public buildings in an attempt to stop the citizens of this young country. In modern wars, the scale of weapons bombing and destruction often makes precious cultural heritage a victim of unintentional destruction.

During World War II, the United States shelled Dresden. This building is of great significance, but President franklin roosevelt and General dwight eisenhower realized that they must work hard to protect the heritage during the Allied invasion of Europe. But sometimes key decisions have an impact. Kyoto is the birthplace of Japanese royal tradition and the most precious site in Japan, and it ranks among the best in the target list of dropping atomic bombs. However, even in the all-out war, united states secretary of war and henry stimson realized the importance of culture and rejected the idea.

Although cultural heritage has become the target of destruction in the war, it can also be used to help people heal their wounds after the conflict and reconcile with their former enemies and the past. When Japan recovered from the war under American occupation, it was General douglas macarthur who supported the Japanese authorities' efforts to protect its cultural treasures. In Europe after World War II, Auschwitz, the largest concentration camp, became a memorial hall and museum to commend the Nazi's efforts to eliminate Jews and gain understanding from it. 1954 The Hague Convention recognizes the value of heritage and expresses the world's condemnation of the deliberate destruction of cultural property in armed conflicts and military occupation. UNESCO 1972 Convention formally established an international system for recognizing world heritage.

In America. In the 1980s, American Indians and their culture, marked as destruction and assimilation by * * * a century ago, were celebrated at the National Museum at the foot of the US Capitol. In the 1990s, Robben Island, the notorious prison where nelson mandela and his anti-apartheid patriots lived, became a museum of the new South Africa. Prisoners and prison guards became commentators, introducing tourists to this era, a place where the population was once sharply divided, and helping them come together. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Mostar Bridge commissioned by Suleiman was destroyed in the fighting between Croats and * * * *. This bridge is not just a highway, it symbolizes the connection between the two cities, and eliminating it will help to separate them in the conflict. In 2004, the Kigali Holocaust Memorial Center and Museum were rebuilt, and in the same year, a mass grave for victims of the Rwandan massacre was opened, which provided a means to encourage all citizens of the country as well as Hutu and Tutsi people to avoid racism and intolerance that led to this national tragedy. Not only museums and memorials, but also the traditional heritage of people who have lived together. The "Slave Road" project of UNESCO focuses on how African expatriates can show the perseverance of people and their cultures while enduring the most disgusting customs. The Smithsonian Institution cooperated with Yo-Yo Ma, Aga Khan and Rajiv Sethi to show how to overcome conflicts, forced migration and exploitation along the historical Silk Road, and form complex and creative cultural expressions in art, music, cooking and other aspects, connecting people all over the world with fashion and ideas.

Cultural heritage has taught us a lot. It embodies the knowledge of architecture, engineering, design, social structure, economy, technology and religious belief in a specific era. It provides an appreciation of history and tells us something about people's way of life. But heritage is not just about the past. Heritage is either forgotten, blurred or clearly expressed and cherished in otolaryngology. It symbolizes how people see themselves and others, including today's predecessors and neighbors. In this sense, cultural heritage teaches us to tolerate and respect different people. Saving the heritage frees us from arrogance, intolerance, prejudice and persecution against our fellow human beings. It reminds us that our nature is better, just like a standing bodhisattva, helping us live in a more humane world.

On April 17, 2007, the discussion continued in the project "Cultural Heritage: Conflict and Reconciliation" held in Meyer Auditorium of Smithsonian Institution and University of Chicago Gallery in friel. Irina bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, Emily Laferty, Director of Metropolitan Museum of Art, Munir Boussena and Richard Kulin, Directors of * * * World Heritage Regional Center attended the meeting and were interviewed by David Rubinstein, Director of the Smithsonian of the University of Chicago, and the co-founder of Carlyle Group. This activity will be broadcast on the Internet. "