Giving hands save cultural treasures for posterity

Owning valuable antiques does not necessarily mean a person is set to make a fortune. In fact, having such a collection can represent a hefty historical burden.

Since the founding of New China in 1949, more than 400,000 cultural relics have been donated to public museums around the country, according to a series of books published by Beijing Publishing Group last week.

The first eight volumes of Highlights of New China's Donated Cultural Relics give an introduction to important pieces that have been donated by several celebrated Chinese collectors and artists, including Zhang Boju, Xu Beihong and Zheng Zhenduo. The book also details the background to these historic pieces.