Book
Fragile cargo : the World War II race to save the treasures of China's Forbidden City / Adam Brookes.
"The gripping true story of the bold and determined museum curators who saved the priceless treasures of China's Forbidden City in the years leading up to World War II and beyond"-- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781982149291 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: 370 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some colour), maps ; 24 cm
- Edition: First Atria Books hardcover edition.
- Publisher: New York : Atria Books, [2023]
- Copyright: ©2022
Content descriptions
| General Note: | "Originally published in the United Kingdom in 2022 by Chatto & Windus"--Title page verso. |
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Forbidden City (Beijing, China) > History. Art treasures in war > China > Beijing > History > 20th century. Art > China > Beijing. Cultural property > Protection > China > Beijing > History > 20th century. Sino-Japanese War, 1937-1945. |
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeshore Branch | 709.51 Bro | 31681010309953 | NONFIC | Available | - |
- Baker & Taylor
"The gripping true story of the bold and determined museum curators who saved the priceless treasures of China's Forbidden City in the years leading up to World War II and beyond"-- - Baker & Taylor
The story of a group of museum curators who spent 16 years protecting the vast imperial art collections of Chinaâs Forbidden City in their collections from Japanese threats during World War II. Illustrations. - Simon and Schuster
The gripping true story of the bold and determined museum curators who saved the priceless treasures of Chinaâs Forbidden City in the years leading up to World War II and beyond.
Spring 1933: The silent courtyards and palaces of Pekingâs Forbidden City, for centuries the home of Chinese emperors, are tense with fear and expectation. Japanâs aircrafts drone overhead, its troops and tanks are only hours away. All-out war between China and Japan is coming, and the curators of the Forbidden City are faced with an impossible question: how will they protect the vast imperial art collections in their charge? A difficult and monumental decision is made: to safeguard the treasures, they will need to be evacuated.
The magnificent collections contain a million pieces of artâobjects that carry Chinaâs deepest and most ancient memories. Among them are irreplaceable artefacts: exquisite paintings on silk, vanishingly rare Ming porcelain, and the extraordinary Stone Drums of Qin, which are adorned with 2,500-year-old inscriptions of crucial cultural significance.
For sixteen terrifying years, under the quiet leadership of museum director Ma Heng, the curators would go on to transport the imperial art collections thousands of miles across Chinaâup rivers of white water, across mountain ranges, and through burning cities. In their search for safety the curators and their fragile, invaluable cargo journeyed through the maelstrom of violence, chaos, and starvation that was Chinaâs Second World War.
Told for the first time in English and playing out across a vast historical canvas, this is the exhilarating story of a small group of men and women who, when faced with warâs onslaught on civilization, chose to resist. Fragile Cargo reminds us of the enduring power of beauty in a world beset by conflict and violence.
