Master, did you see the CCTV report? A key letter was just made public — it’s a payment reminder that Cai Jixiang sent to Ke Qiang back then. It offers critical evidence about how the Chu Silk Manuscript ended up in the U.S.

The Chu Silk Manuscript... It's a priceless treasure from the Warring States period. It not only records ancient myths and numerology but is also the origin of Chinese bookbinding art. Its loss is truly a national sorrow.

It’s heartbreaking indeed. From being looted in 1942, to being taken to the U.S. by Ke Qiang in 1946, and eventually stored at the University of Chicago archives and the Sackler Foundation — such a long journey...

This isn't just the wandering story of an artifact. It reflects the broader looting of Chinese cultural heritage in modern history. Every crease and mark on that silk manuscript is a wound of history.

Now the academic community is calling for the return of the manuscript. Do you think there will be real progress this time?

That depends on many factors. The return of cultural relics from abroad is always a long process. It requires sincerity from foreign institutions and diplomatic skill from our own heritage departments. But one thing is clear — cultural roots must return to their source.