Investigation uncovers mismanagement of donated artifacts

‘Mismanagement and corruption’ alleged at Nanjing Museum

Qiu Ying, Jiangnan Spring, c. 1368-1644, ink on silk A government investigation over several months into China’s state-run Nanjing Museum claims systemic mismanagement and alleged corruption. The new report comes after works donated to the institution in eastern Jiangsu province began to appear at auction last year. In early 2025, the painting Spring in Jiangnan by Qiu Ying, dated to the Ming dynasty, was spotted for sale by Pang Shuling with a …

Investigators Find Decades-Long Mismanagement, Corruption at China’s Nanjing Museum

An investigation into the Nanjing Museum, one of China’s premier state-run cultural institutions, found that decades of systemic mismanagement and corruption enabled the secret sale of national treasures into the private art market.  According to the South China Morning Post, the scandal erupted last September after the museum was accused of selling donated paintings, prompting an investigation by Chinese authorities that has since focused on …

Investigation uncovers mismanagement of donated artifacts

The findings revealed that during the transfer and circulation of Jiangnan Springand other paintings, the original Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture, the Nanjing Museum, and the original Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Store violated cultural relics management regulations.