Should the West give back its treasures? A playful video about a Chinese teapot escaping from the British Museum has led to a debate about where historic items belong.
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TikTok goes wild as teapot escapes museum
Should the West give back its treasures? A playful video about a Chinese teapot escaping from the British Museum has led to a debate about where historic items belong.
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What's happening?
The teapot is alive! And in its new human form, it has only one wish: to go back home to ChinaA country in East Asia, home to 1.4 billion people..
For years, it has been stuck in the British MuseumA public museum in London, England, which focuses on human history, art and culture. It has the largest collection of items in the world. , thousands of miles from where it was made. Now, it is going to escape.
This is the story told in a short video series called Escape from the British Museum. It has gone viral on China's version of TikTok, Douyin. It has been played more than 270 million times.
The teapot is a real teapot. It is not an old treasure - it was made in 2011. But it was made using a technique that is only found in China.
Some think it does not belong in the British Museum. Instead, it should be in China. Even one Chinese television channel has called for the teapot and other items to be returned.
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But China is not the only country that wants its treasures back. SudanA country in northeast Africa with a population of 45 million. , NigeriaA country in western Africa. More people live in Nigeria than in any other country in Africa. and GreeceA country in southeastern Europe with a population of more than 10 million. have all asked the British Museum to give back items that came from their countries. Many of these items were once stolen.
Yet others say it is not just as simple as giving things back to their true owners. Often, it is not clear who to give items back to: the leaders of the countries they came from, a museum or the families of people who once owned them? Meanwhile, some say it is best for groups of treasures to stay in one place, instead of being split up all over the world.
Yes! It is not right to keep things that were stolen from their true owners. And even items like the teapot, which was not stolen, should be on display in the countries where they came from.
No! Giving things back is not as easy as it sounds. And to learn about the world, people need to see items from all across the globe.
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Should the West give back its treasures?
Keywords
China - A country in East Asia, home to 1.4 billion people.
British Museum - A public museum in London, England, which focuses on human history, art and culture. It has the largest collection of items in the world.
Sudan - A country in northeast Africa with a population of 45 million.
Nigeria - A country in western Africa. More people live in Nigeria than in any other country in Africa.
Greece - A country in southeastern Europe with a population of more than 10 million.
TikTok goes wild as teapot escapes museum
Trouble brewing: The creators of the video gained five million followers in a single week. Glossary
China - A country in East Asia, home to 1.4 billion people.
British Museum - A public museum in London, England, which focuses on human history, art and culture. It has the largest collection of items in the world.
Sudan - A country in northeast Africa with a population of 45 million.
Nigeria - A country in western Africa. More people live in Nigeria than in any other country in Africa.
Greece - A country in southeastern Europe with a population of more than 10 million.