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August 10, 2012

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Son sues college to get famous dad's collection

A Beijing court has accepted a lawsuit against Peking University for keeping books and other items from the former campus residence of Ji Xianlin, a late linguist once called a "national treasure."

The scholar's son, Ji Cheng, asked the university to return 577 antiques worth hundreds of millions of yuan, including 38 extremely valuable calligraphy works, thread-bound books and paintings.

Several masterpieces of Qi Baishi, an important figure in Chinese modern landscape and animal paining, and works from Su Shi, a rare and versatile poet of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), highlight Ji's collection.

Ji Cheng has been in dispute with the university over how to keep his father's pricey collection since the linguist died in July 2009, and he filed the lawsuit with Beijing No.1 People's Court two months ago, Qilu Evening News reported yesterday.

Ji's former room at Langrun Garden at the campus was broken into and many precious items stolen after he died of a heart attack at the age of 98.

Two former employees were suspected of the robbery. The two pleaded not guilty last May and no verdict has been announced. Ji Cheng didn't sue them since police had recovered all of the stolen items, including 5,000 ancient books and rare bronze statues.

Peking University posted a statement on its website in 2009 confirming the school had helped check some relics in Ji's house and transferred them to Ji's son in June.


 

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