China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Foreign Chinesefield will sailors’ forever gravesbe homeset to be restored to original glory Five sailors became sick and died in England in the 1880s
The tombstones in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne are Chinese landmarks overseas, and as such are of great historical value, according to Chen Yue,
Final preparations are president of the ChineseNaval underway for a project that Historical Institute: “They are will restore the graves of five rare historical artifacts of the Chinese sailors who died in the Qing’s modernization movement 1880s in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Chinese naval history a city in northeastern England. in general.” Experts consider the tombs The China Foundation for to be historical artifacts that Cultural Heritage Conservation mark the birth of the Beiyang and the Newcastle city or Northern Fleet, the most government have now powerful naval force assembled approved the survey, budget by China during the Qing and repair plan. Given the current Dynasty (1644-1911), which was rate at which money is bolstered by four battle cruisers being donated, the repairs will begin that in China April purchasedand will be from concluded the Unitedby August, Kingdom said between LiXiaojie, 1881 the and foundation’s1887. president.
Located“The five in sailorsSt. John’s can Cemetery rest peacefullyin the knowing Elswick that district even of after the all city, thesethe graves years, — peoplethree of back which home have still collapsedcare aboutand are them,” half-sunkenhe said. — “This containis a the project remainsfull of of humanYuan Peifu, warmthGu Shizhong,and love.” Lian Jinyuan, Chen Shoufu and Chen Chengkui, members of the first two naval delegationsIn September,that China Zhang sent Rong,to Europe.the chief engineer for the tombstone The restorationfive men project,died from and unidentifiedhis team, which illnessesis employed while by waitingLi’s foundation,to bring flewtoNewcastlethe cruisers back to to clean, China inspectto form the the graves,most powerfuland discuss navy the in Asia restorationat the time, planswithlocalexpertsandcityaccording to Chen Yue, presidentofficials. of the Chinese Naval Historical Initially, Institute,Zhang, who who is specializes also deputy in chief studies engineerof the period.of the Beijing Despite Guowenyanits power, though, Cultural the Heritage fleet Conservationwas defeated Center,by
Repairing history
thought the work would be Imperial Japan during the first easy, but he quickly realized Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), that his optimism was misplaced. signaling the end of a modernization movement under the
“It turned out to be the trickiest Qing and the start of Japanese project I have ever worked colonialism across Northeast on. The tombstones are Asia. immoveable historical relics
Last year, photos of the left by Chinese people in a foreign cracked tombstones were country,” he said, adding posted online by a Chinese that because of their rarity, the student at the Royal College graves are managed by the of Art in London and quickly local cemetery and protected attracted the attention of the under British law. China Foundation for Cultural
“The repairs must adhere to Heritage Conservation, a nonprofit the protection laws and standards organization. of both countries,”
In December, the foundation Zhang said. “China has no precedent launchedin dealingits first with global such crowdfundingartifacts, so we campaignhave to with start the everythingaim of from raising scratch.” 460,000 yuan The ($67,000) foundationto pay and for the the restorationNewcastle city work, governmentaccording to held Li extensiveXiaojie, the negotiations foundation’s to president.ensure the The project campaignwould runis ongoing. smoothly. “We went through each The item Chineseline by governmentline, trying to spendsfind common about ground8 billion and yuan iron everyout any year differences,”on the protection Zhangof relics,said. “It but was most worthof the the projects time are becausein China,we learnedhe added. so much duringThe tombstonesthe process, especiallyin Newcastle-Upon-Tyne about improving are our Chinese standards.” landmarks overseas, and as such For are example,of great in historical China, value, repairing according broken to tombstonesChen Yue, presidentonly requiresof the the Chinese stones Navalto be Historicalglued back Institute: together. “TheyIn Britain,are rare historicalhowever, artifactsin additionof the to Qing’s gluing, modernizationsteel reinforcing movement rods have to andbe inserted Chinese too, naval “so history the tombstonesin general.” won’t break and fall The on visitors”,China FoundationZhang said. for Cultural Simon Heritage Richmond, Conservationowner of and Joseph the Newcastle Richmond city government& Son Memorials,have nowa family-run approved teamthe survey, budget and repair plan. Given the current rate at which money is being donated, the repairs will begin in April and will be concluded by August, said Li Xiaojie, the foundation’s president.
“The five sailors can rest peacefully knowing that even after all these years, people back home still care about them,” he said. “This is a project full of human warmth and love.”
In September, Zhang Rong, the chief engineer for the tombstone restoration project, and his team, which is employed by Li’s foundation, flew to Newcastle to clean, inspect the graves, and discuss the restoration plans with local experts and city officials.
Initially, Zhang, who is also deputy chief engineer of the Beijing Guowenyan Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, thought the work would be easy, but he quickly realized that his optimism was of misplaced. stonemasons in Newcastle, said “It certain turned sectionsout to be of the the graves trickiest need projectto be I have replacedever becauseworked on. they The are tombstonesbadly damaged. are immoveable historical relics “Butleft weby Chineseare trying peopleto keep in asa much foreign of country,”the originalhe said, materialadding as possiblethat becauseto maintainof their rarity, the historicalthe graves are integrity managed of by the the memorialslocal cemetery that and have protected been here under for Britisha very law. long time,” Richmond“The repairs said, must adding adhere thatto thethe main protection challengelaws is and the standards size of the of headstones,both countries,” which Zhang are so said. large “China that has specialno precedent lifting equipmentin dealing with will suchbe needed artifacts, to carryso we out have the to work.start everything from The scratch.” northern hemisphere weatherThe foundationwill also present and challenges,the Newcastleso the city bulk governmentof the work
Li Xiaojie,
held extensive negotiations to ensure the project would run smoothly. “We went through each item line by line, trying to find common ground will be carried out during the and iron out any differences,” summer months to avoid Zhang said. “It was worth adverse conditions, such as the time because we learned rain and snow, he said. so much during the process, especially about improving our standards.” According to the archives at For example, in China, Newcastle Civic Centre, the repairing broken tombstones first two graves were purchased only requires the stones to be by the Chinese government glued back together. In Britain, in 1881, and the other however, in addition to gluing, three in 1887. They cost 5 poundssteel reinforcingeach at rods the have time,to whichbe inserted would too, equate“so the to tombstones about 1,000 won’t pounds break ($1,267)and fall peron grave visitors”, in Zhang modernsaid. terms, accordingSimon Richmond, to AlanMacfarlane,owner historianof Joseph and Richmond professor & emeritusSon Memorials,at King’sa family-runCollege, team Cambridge of stonemasons University. in Newcastle, said “It does certain not sectionsseem very of much,the but gravesin fact, needat theto time,be replacedthe Chinesewererelatively because they are shortof badly foreign damaged. currency, so it really was a great “But sacrifice,”we are tryinghe said. to “It keep was reallyas mucha wonderfulof the original thing material that was doneas possible because to somany maintain Chinese the historicalsailors were integritylost all of overthe the memorialsworld, and that very, have very few been of themhere for have a been very remembered.long time,” It Richmondis marvelous said, that addingwe are that now ablethe mainto remember challenge one is or the two size of them.”of the headstones, which are so large The that Northernspecial lifting Britain equipment Chinese Entrepreneurswill be needed to Association,carry out the whichwork. is based in Newcastle,The northern has hemispherebecome a major weather playerwill alsoin the present restorationchallenges, project, so whichthe bulkis of of greatthe work significance will be carriedto the Chineseout during community the summerin months Newcastleto avoid and northeastadverse conditions,England, accordingsuch as to rain Xu and Lei, snow, the he association’ssaid. executive‘A great vice-president.sacrifice’
“In According addition to to the the historicalarchives importanceat Newcastle of Civic the Centre, project
‘A great sacrifice’
the first two graves were purchased by the Chinese government in 1881, and the other three in 1887. They cost 5 pounds each at the time, which itself, I believe that working would equate to about 1,000 together with the local government pounds ($1,267) per grave in and community helps modern terms, according to overseas Chinese inNewcastle Alan Macfarlane, historian and to better integrate with the professor emeritus at King’s local community. It also provides College, Cambridge University. local people a great opportunity“It does not seemto understandvery much, somebut in Chinesefact, at the history time, the and Chinese traditions,” were he relativelysaid. short of foreignNow, with currency,one globalso it really restoration was a great project sacrifice,”under hishe said. belt, Li “It believeswas really similara wonderful operations will thing becomethat was more done common,because andso many said Chinese crowdfundingsailors were will makelost all it easierover the for world, members and of the very, public very to few participateof them in have the preservationbeen remembered.of relics. It is marvelous “We thatall havewe area responsibilitynow able to to remember preserve one ouror two history,”of them.” he said.
The five sailors can rest peacefully knowing that even after all these years, people back home still care about them.” president of the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation If you want to help Related video