In Depth: A Lost Masterpiece’s Return Exposes Scandal at a Top Chinese Museum
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At her home in Suzhou on Dec. 21, 72-year-old Pang Shuling recalled the moment half a year earlier when the “Jiangnan Chun” scroll resurfaced. Her hands and heart, she said, still trembled.
On May 22, a friend had called to tell her that a scroll attributed to the Ming dynasty master Qiu Ying, then listed in China Guardian Auctions’ spring preview catalog, was a piece from the Xuzhai collection, once belonging to her great grandfather.
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- A Ming dynasty scroll donated to the Nanjing Museum in 1959 resurfaced at auction in 2025, estimated at $12.1 million, after the museum had deemed it a forgery and sold it cheaply in the 1990s.
- Investigations by national and provincial authorities have been launched due to concerns about possible corruption and irregular deaccessioning of over 1,200 artworks.
- The scandal has raised serious questions about museum governance, art authentication, and donor rights in China.
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Who’s Who
- China Guardian Auctions
- China Guardian Auctions is a prominent auction house that listed the "Jiangnan Chun" scroll in its spring preview catalog. The scroll, attributed to Ming dynasty master Qiu Ying, was estimated to fetch 88 million yuan ($12.1 million). The auction was halted after Pang Shuling, a descendant of the original owner, claimed the scroll was her family's property, donated to the Nanjing Museum in 1959.
- Yilanzhai Art Co. Ltd.
- Yilanzhai Art Co. Ltd. (宜兰斋艺术有限公司) is an art company chaired by the late collector Lu Ting. The company acquired the "Jiangnan Chun" scroll, which was once part of the Xuzhai collection, in the 1990s. Lu Ting's wife, Ding Weiwen, stated in a 2009 thesis that Yilanzhai acquired the scroll from a descendant of Pang Laichen for 170,000 yuan. Lu Ting had planned to build the Yilanzhai Art Museum but faced financial difficulties.
- Nanjing Shizhuzhai Art Group Co. Ltd.
- Nanjing Shizhuzhai Art Group Co. Ltd. is a local state-owned cultural firm. Lu Ting, facing financial difficulties, mortgaged "Jiangnan Chun" and seven other artworks to this company for a loan of several tens of millions of yuan. When he defaulted on the loan, Nanjing Shizhuzhai Art Group Co. Ltd. took possession of the collateral and subsequently sold the entire lot to collector Zhu Guang.
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What Happened When
- March 1949：
- Pang Yuanji, the original collector of the Xuzhai collection, died and his collection was divided among his heirs.
- 1953：
- Zheng Zhenduo, then head of the national cultural heritage bureau, identified 'Jiangnan Chun' as one of six paintings absolutely essential for state acquisition in a letter.
- 1959：
- Pang Zenghe and his family donated 137 pieces from the Xuzhai collection, including 'Jiangnan Chun', to the Nanjing Museum.
- 1961：
- An expert panel led by Zhang Heng at the Nanjing Museum appraised 'Jiangnan Chun' and deemed it a forgery.
- 1964：
- Another expert panel at the Nanjing Museum re-confirmed 'Jiangnan Chun' as a fake.
- 1980s：
- Pang family sued the Nanjing Museum for the return of two other scrolls; courts ruled in favor of the museum but ordered compensation to the family.
- 1986：
- Implementation of the Measures for the Management of Museum Collections, which strictly prohibited the sale of museum items.
- 1990s：
- According to the Nanjing Museum, 'Jiangnan Chun' was disposed of after being deemed a forgery, and ended up in the possession of Lu Ting, chairman of Yilanzhai Art Co. Ltd.
- 1997：
- A disposal report requested transfer of 1,259 'deaccessioned items,' including 'Jiangnan Chun,' from the Nanjing Museum to the Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics General Store for disposal.
- 1999：
- Collector Yan Ming claimed to have seen 'Jiangnan Chun' at Lu Ting's home.
- April 16, 2001：
- A sales invoice was issued showing an 'imitation Qiu Ying landscape scroll' was sold to a 'customer' for 6,800 yuan.
- 2009：
- Lu Ting’s wife, Ding Weiwen, stated in her master's thesis that Yilanzhai acquired 'Jiangnan Chun' in the 1990s from a Pang descendant for 170,000 yuan.
- 2010：
- A news report stated 'Jiangnan Chun' had been acquired by Yilanzhai, which was referenced in a legal proceeding.
- 2014：
- An exhibition at the Nanjing Museum to commemorate Pang Yuanji's 150th birthday was held; Pang Shuling sued the museum for libel and won.
- May 22, 2025：
- Pang Shuling was informed that 'Jiangnan Chun' appeared in China Guardian Auctions’ spring preview catalog.
- After May 22, 2025：
- 'Jiangnan Chun' was pulled from the auction after Pang Shuling's complaint to Beijing authorities.
- August 2025：
- Pang Shuling filed a new lawsuit against the Nanjing Museum demanding the return of all five paintings from her family’s donation that were deaccessioned.
- December 17, 2025：
- The Nanjing Museum issued a statement detailing the disposal of 'Jiangnan Chun' and four other paintings as forgeries.
- December 21, 2025：
- Pang Shuling recounted her experience at her home in Suzhou.
- December 23, 2025：
- The National Cultural Heritage Administration announced the formation of a working group to investigate the matter, and the Jiangsu provincial government also created a task force.
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