After 14 years of research, a team based at Peking University has released a 60-volume collection documenting thousands of ancient Chinese artifacts currently held outside of China. The project identifies more than 23,000 items, including bronze vessels, weapons, and ritual objects, that are now housed in museums, private collections, and auction houses across nearly 30 countries.

The publication, released in April by the Shanghai Classics Publishing House, serves as a comprehensive inventory of cultural heritage that left China over the past century. By cataloging these items, researchers aim to create a definitive record of their origins and current locations. The sheer scale of the project is significant, with the 60 volumes standing taller than an average human when stacked together.

While the report focuses on the academic and historical importance of the documentation, it highlights the ongoing effort to map the dispersal of Chinese heritage. The project provides a centralized database for scholars to study these objects, many of which were removed from the country during periods of historical upheaval. The research team suggests that this catalog is a vital step in understanding the scope of Chinese antiquities currently residing in international hands, though the report does not explicitly detail the legal status or potential repatriation efforts for these specific items.