12 Facts About Ma Chengyuan

Ma Chengyuan was a Chinese archaeologist, epigrapher, and president of the Shanghai Museum.

Ma Chengyuan was credited with saving priceless artifacts from destruction during the Cultural Revolution, and was instrumental in raising funds and support for the rebuilding of the Shanghai Museum.

Ma Chengyuan was a recipient of the John D Rockefeller III Award, and was awarded the Legion of Honour by French President Jacques Chirac.

Ma Chengyuan was responsible for recovering ancient relics including the Jin Hou Su Bianzhong and Warring States period bamboo strips, which are now considered China's national treasures.

Ma Chengyuan worked for the education department of the Shanghai Municipal Government before joining the Shanghai Museum in 1954.

Ma Chengyuan made many trips abroad to solicit donations, mainly from the Shanghai diaspora who had fled to Hong Kong after the Communist revolution, raising another US$10 million.

Ma Chengyuan won the John D Rockefeller III Award from the Asian Cultural Council in that year.

Ma Chengyuan was active in recovering many of the items from the Hong Kong antique market.

Ma Chengyuan was the chief editor of Shanghai Bowuguan cang Zhanguo Chu zhushu, a groundbreaking research on the Warring States bamboo strips recovered by Ma himself.

Ma Chengyuan was a council member of the Archaeological Society of China, and vice chairman of the China Museum Society.

Ma Chengyuan was accused of misusing US$250,000 donated by a Chinese-American collector, but an investigation cleared him of wrongdoing.

Ma Chengyuan committed suicide three days after his daughter returned to Australia.