Museum damage admitted
Source: Xinhua |
August 22, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE director of the Palace Museum in Beijing's Forbidden City has admitted human error led to the damage of at least three antiquities.
Zheng Xinmiao said carelessness by staff resulted in damage to three articles dating from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Two "ritual implements" were damaged in May 2004, and a vase was damaged two years ago, he said.
Earlier this month, a whistle-blower, identified online as Longcan, made the accidents public through a blog, saying the museum had covered up serious damage to four exhibits.
The museum had previously announced that a researcher accidently damaged a thousand-year-old porcelain dish.
The Palace Museum has been under fire since May, when exhibits on loan from a Hong Kong museum were stolen from the palace complex.
Whistle-blowers also accuse the museum of running an exclusive club in one of its palaces and paying hush money to insiders who threaten to expose ticket scandals.
Zheng admitted there are "management loopholes" and blamed the museum's "lax supervision" of a commercial partner, Forbidden City Palace Cultural Development, for business activities in the palace.
He said the museum is offering rewards for information leading to the arrest of employees found cheating the museum out of ticket revenue.
Zheng promised greater transparency and engagement with the public.
Zheng Xinmiao said carelessness by staff resulted in damage to three articles dating from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Two "ritual implements" were damaged in May 2004, and a vase was damaged two years ago, he said.
Earlier this month, a whistle-blower, identified online as Longcan, made the accidents public through a blog, saying the museum had covered up serious damage to four exhibits.
The museum had previously announced that a researcher accidently damaged a thousand-year-old porcelain dish.
The Palace Museum has been under fire since May, when exhibits on loan from a Hong Kong museum were stolen from the palace complex.
Whistle-blowers also accuse the museum of running an exclusive club in one of its palaces and paying hush money to insiders who threaten to expose ticket scandals.
Zheng admitted there are "management loopholes" and blamed the museum's "lax supervision" of a commercial partner, Forbidden City Palace Cultural Development, for business activities in the palace.
He said the museum is offering rewards for information leading to the arrest of employees found cheating the museum out of ticket revenue.
Zheng promised greater transparency and engagement with the public.
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