French scholar: Applying cultural relics to human rights, Tibet issues "stupid"

PARIS, Feb. 26 (Chinese media) -- Two controversial ancient

Chinese relics were auctioned on Wednesday night for 14 million euros (17.92

million U.S. dollars) each to anonymous telephone bidders at Christie's sale of

the collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge.

Five days before the auction, owner of the bronzes,

French businessman Berge, offered to swap the two sculptures for the application

of "human rights in China and the freedom of Tibet."

Such a remark was "very stupid," Bernard Brizay,

French historian and journalist, as well as author of the book "1860: the

Looting of the Old Summer Palace," said in an interview with Chinese media.

Brizay used the word "stupid" five times in his

comments on Berge's move, saying that combining the two relics with human rights

and Tibet issues and offering a swap "in a tough and defiant tone" was no

different to "blackmailing for ransom."

Brizay once worked for the Le Figaro newspaper and

has published various historical monographs.

Particularly fond of Chinese culture, Brizay has

traveled to China on 15 occasions, during which he learned about how the

Anglo-French allied forces looted the Old Summer Palace in Beijing in the 19th

century.

In 2003, Brizay published "1860: the Looting of the

Old Summer Palace," which, based on first-hand recollections of diplomats,

military officers and soldiers that participated in the looting, clearly

depicted this catastrophe in the history of human culture with a large amount of

valuable details.

The work triggered strong reactions in Western

countries, and former French President Jacques Chirac said it "made a

contribution to clarifying common episodes of our history."

Regarding the controversial auction of the relics, a

rat's head and a rabbit's head, Brizay said they belong to China and should go

back to where they came from. Therefore, he fully understood the Chinese anger

toward the issue.

The French scholar also expressed support for the

attempts by cultural heritage organizations and lawyers to pursue the return of

the relics through legal measures.

Brizay noted that in view of the difficulty to

collect evidence and challenge the legitimacy of the owner, the possibility of

winning the lawsuit was remote. However, such attempts were worth making as it

signified China's firm determination to reclaim the cultural relics.

Despite relevant international agreements, reclaiming

relics could be a complicated process, Brizay said.

It is Brizay's sincere hope that the French

government or individual buyers would purchase the two sculptures and return

them to China.

"If I had the money, I would have done it," Birzay

said.

The 68-year-old historian has a passionate love and

admiration for Chinese people and culture.

Chinese people are intelligent, industrious and

energetic, he said.

He could not hold back his tears when visiting the

debris of the Old Summer Palace for the first time, Brizay said.

"What the Anglo-French allied forces did was a crime

to China and all human beings," he said, "treasures in the Old Summer Palace are

the world's cultural heritage that not only belong to the Chinese people but

also to all human beings."

"As a citizen of France, the European Union and the

world, I also feel myself robbed," he said.

With such affection, Brizay decided to write "1860:

the Looting of the Old Summer Palace" to introduce the tragic history of the Old

Summer Palace, which, many French know little about.

Brizay is gratified the book got a lot of attention

after the publication of the first edition, which decupled the expected sales

volume. The book has been republished for the third time so far.