Ten cultural treasures, once stolen from their home in Beijing's Yuanmingyuan Park (Old Summer Palace), returned to their rightful place on June 6, a day ahead of World Cultural Heritage Day, which falls on the second Saturday of June. A ceremony was held at the park to mark their return. A fund has also been established for the project.

The ornaments were removed from the imperial garden during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), and were given back to the park by institutes and individuals.

The treasures comprise a pair of fish sculptures and eight white marble carvings, which are hundreds of years old. The donations mark the launch of a retrieval project for scattered cultural relics of Yuanmingyuan. The pair of fish sculptures, made in 1759, was an important ornament in Dashuifa - a group of fountains considered among the grandest architectures in the Xiyanglou (European Palaces).

"The first returned batch will be put back in their original places and will go on show to visitors free of charge," Zong Tianliang, a park spokesperson, said.

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