Chapter 1966: Cultural treasure
"Steven, the ancient books on these rows of bookshelves are pictures and scriptures from the Dunhuang Buddhist Scripture Cave. The Dunhuang Buddhist Scriptures of the British Library are all here, and there are not many of them.
Several scrolls and scriptures that were still on display in the Ancient Books and Literature Department a few days ago have all been taken down and placed here. You can now start to check and appraise them.
It is no exaggeration. Every picture scroll and every scripture here is unique and of inestimable value. Losing them is a huge loss to our British Library."
Caroline pointed to the four rows of bookshelves in front of her and said, her words were full of reluctance and even a little bit of pain.
After all, she is a scholar, she is still relatively pure. Suddenly losing so many rare and important ancient books, it will inevitably be a little heartache.
Looking at Ye Tian and Old Qian, their faces flushed with excitement at this time, and their breathing became much faster.
Each of them stared at the four rows of bookshelves in front of them, staring at the yellowish or even dilapidated scrolls and scriptures on the bookshelves, their eyes were extremely hot, and they were reluctant to move away.
These four rows of bookshelves are filled with pictures and scriptures from the Dunhuang Buddhist Scripture Cave. Each row of bookshelves is filled with no gaps, which shows the large number of Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures.
After hundreds of thousands of years of long time and hardships, the pages of these Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures have long been yellowed, become very fragile, and some are even broken.
However, in the eyes of Ye Tian and Shan Lao, each and every volume of these Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures in front of them looked so perfect, radiating extremely bright and dazzling light.
It is the light of civilization that has a long history on the land of China, it is the most direct evidence of the five thousand years of civilization history of the Chinese nation, and it is the crystallization of the wisdom of the entire Chinese nation!
It is a pity that the royal priest who discovered these treasures of Chinese civilization more than a hundred years ago was an out-and-out idiot. In addition, China was poor and weak at the time and was unable to protect these treasures of national culture.
This allowed the foreign devils who flocked to take advantage of the loopholes, looted countless Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures by various despicable means, and then smuggled them out of China.
The Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures left to China are only a small part. The massive loss of Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures can be described as an unprecedented catastrophe in the history of Chinese culture.
The foreigners who participated in the looting of the Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures covered almost all European and American powers at that time, including Japanese.
One of the most famous people who has obtained the most Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures is Stein from the British. The Stein Chamber in the Chinese Pavilion of the British Museum is named after this guy.
When he first came to Dunhuang in 1907, he had exchanged twenty-four boxes of scriptures and five boxes of carefully wrapped silk paintings, as well as a large number of embroidery and other arts, at a negligible price of only four horseshoe silver. Product.
When Stein came to Dunhuang for the second time in 1914, he exchanged five boxes of writing essays from Wang Taoist priests. The price paid was completely negligible.
After returning to England, these precious paintings and scriptures that Stein looted from Dunhuang were collected in the British Museum and the British Library, and became their treasures.
And Stein himself, not only reaped huge economic benefits, but also gained a huge reputation, which can be described as fame and fortune.
To this day, these invaluable treasures that were looted by Stein and lost overseas for more than 100 years are finally returning to China.
Let me ask, Ye Tian and Shan Lao, who are Chinese, can not be ecstatic about it?
Caroline's voice fell, but Ye Tian and the others did not respond. Each of them was completely attracted by the huge number of Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures in front of them, and there was nothing else in their eyes.
The British guys standing next to them have been completely ignored by them, and they just used them as air.
Seeing their performance, Caroline could only helplessly smile, and said nothing.
At the same time, a trace of regret quickly flashed through the bottom of her eyes, and the other British guys were the same.
The scene fell silent, and there was only a sound of rapid breathing, coming from Ye Tian and Shan Lao.
After a long time, Ye Tian and the others only woke up, and their excitement calmed down a bit.
Immediately afterwards, Old Shan stretched out his hands and carefully picked up a scripture from the bookshelf beside him, and then slowly unfolded the scripture with the assistance of another old man.
All the Chinese people on the scene looked at Shan Lao and the yellowed and somewhat torn scroll in his hand. Everyone was full of expectation and nervousness.
In the next instant, Shan Lao's trembling voice came out and reached the ears of everyone on the scene.
"This is the "Lianhua Sutra. Volume 5", a handwritten Buddhist sutra from the mid-Tang Dynasty. It has a history of more than a thousand years. It is a truly priceless treasure. Undoubtedly, this is one of the Dunhuang sutras. "
Before his words fell, the scene was boiling.
"It's great! I didn't expect that this batch of Dunhuang Tibetan scriptures would return to China one day. It's really a sight!"
"Isn’t the handwritten "Miao Dharma Lotus Sutra" in the mid-Tang Dynasty a priceless treasure? In the history of Chinese culture, this is definitely an epoch-making moment that is worth remembering forever!
Several top painting and calligraphy appraisal experts from the Forbidden City and the National Museum of China all cheered, and they were all excited like children, just like dancing.
While cheering, these top experts and scholars have tears in their eyes, and they are almost streaming out.
Even Ye Tian, who had seen all this through perspective and knew the authenticity of these Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures, was excited at this time, and lightly waved his fist.
After cheering, everyone's emotions gradually subsided.
Next, these top painting and calligraphy appraisal experts from the Forbidden City and the National Museum of China went to the bookshelves one after another, carefully took down the scriptures, or pictures, and began to appreciate and appraise them.
Ye Tian did the same. He also walked forward, carefully picked up a scripture from the shelf, slowly unfolded it, and read it.
Although he does not believe in Buddhism, he knows Chinese characters and his ability to identify antique works of art is unmatched. It is natural to verify the authenticity of these Dunhuang scriptures.
The result can be imagined. The Buddhist scriptures in his hand are indeed authentic Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures. It comes from the last years of the Tang Dynasty. It is a truly priceless treasure with inestimable value.
After reading two scriptures one after another, he stopped, then turned to look at Caroline and others, and said with a smile:
"Yes, Ms. Caroline, the bookshelf in front of you are indeed authentic Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures, and they are in good condition. You can see that your library is very professional.
The task of identifying these Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures is given to Mr. Shan. They are all professionals with profound knowledge. You can take me to the other bookshelves to see the specific number of Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures! "
"Okay, Steven, please come with me, I will show you the situation on the other three bookshelves"
Caroline smiled and nodded and said, without declining.
Then, Ye Tian asked Shan Lao and the others, and then followed Caroline and the person in charge of the China Pavilion to another bookshelf next to him.
The bookshelf is also full of pictures and scriptures from the Dunhuang Buddhist Scripture Cave, and the number is no less than that on the previous bookshelf.
In a blink of an eye, ten minutes have passed.
Under the leadership of Caroline and others, Ye Tian and David looked like they had finished the four bookshelves and came to the end of the fourth bookshelf.
There are a lot of ancient silk paintings and some writing books here, and no one has moved for many years, and a layer of dust is on the surface.
When came here, Ye Tian reached out and picked up a silk painting from the bookshelf, gently unfolded it, and carefully appreciated it.
After enjoying ~www.wuxiaspot.com~ he rolled up the silk picture again and put it back on the bookshelf.
Immediately afterwards, he looked at the two boxes placed on the other shelf next to him, and said pretendingly curiously:
"Hey! There are two more boxes here. I wonder if they contain the Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures? Ms. Caroline, can you open these two boxes for me to see?"
While was talking, he had walked to the front of the two boxes, but did not reach out to open them, but looked at Caroline and the head of the China Pavilion with profound eyes.
Hearing his words and seeing his actions, the face of the person in charge of the China Pavilion suddenly changed and became extremely ugly, but he returned to normal in an instant.
Caroline's complexion hasn't changed a lot, maybe she really doesn't know what is in the two boxes.
Of course, she may also be practicing, and she is very clever in acting and not showing her sensuality!
"Steven, these two boxes do contain the Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures. One box contains 30 scriptures, and the other box contains more than 20 picture scrolls.
A professor from the University of Cambridge used these Dunhuang scriptures to do research. They just returned it yesterday. We haven't had time to sort them out. It was our mistake! "
The head of the China Pavilion explained that his face was red and white, and his expression was rather embarrassing.
You say that, I have to believe it too! Lie to the ghost!
Ye Tian sneered to himself, but he didn't expose the cautiousness of the other party.
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