Chan's plan to donate ancient buildings sparks controversy

A micro blog note by kung fu star Jackie Chan saying he is considering donating four of 10 ancient buildings he bought two decades ago to a university in Singapore has drawn close attention from netizens, a majority of which hope Chan reconsiders and keeps the architectural treasures in Chinese hands, said an article in the Guangzhou Daily. Excerpts:

If the ancient buildings are cultural relics, the donation violates the law and should not happen. Otherwise, no one has the right to intervene in Chan's decision to donate ordinary ancient buildings.

Even so, we need to reflect about this. First of all, why would it occur to Chan to donate his valuable collection to a Singaporean university instead of a domestic one, despite of all the potential difficulties? If Chinese universities are willing to accept such a donation, they should pull some strings to win Chan back.

Besides, according to opinions from experts in the field, ancient buildings, unlike other cultural heritage, have certain special requirements for their protection. However, the geographic and weather conditions are in fact adverse to their preservation. It would be better that relevant departments or scholars could persuade Chan to think twice only from the perspective of the buildings' preservation.

We should think ahead of time when it comes to the protection of cultural articles, to avoid regrets later. Even though Chan's ancient buildings are not cultural relics protected by the law, now, it would be too late to retrieve them if they are transferred overseas.