Australia hands Ming dynasty Buddha back to China amid ongoing mystery over its arrival

A 500-year-old Buddha statue discovered in Australia has returned to China amid a lingering mystery surrounding its arrival. The 15cm bronze figurine was ceremonially handed over to Chinese consular officials in Denham, Shark Bay on Tuesday, according to the public broadcaster ABC. It will subsequently undergo evaluation in China to determine its origins before being exhibited at a museum in Beijing.

The statue was unearthed in 2018 by Leon Deschamps and Shayne Thomson while testing metal detecting gear in the area. They believed it should be returned to China as a symbol of goodwill. Simon Wu, president of the Australia China Friendship Society in Western Australia, called the return "extraordinarily generous," stating that it exemplifies bringing cultures, countries, and people together through a small object. Wu's sentiments were echoed during the repatriation ceremony.

Authenticated by Asian art specialist Lee Young as a genuine Ming Dynasty piece (1368-1644), the origin of the statue in Australia remains unclear. While some speculate it could have been part of the treasure ships of celebrated 15th-century seafarer Zheng He, there is no evidence supporting his voyage to Australia. A more probable theory suggests it arrived through the Chinese pearling and fishing industry in the 19th century.

Shark Bay was once the birthplace of Western Australia’s pearling industry, employing Malay, Chinese, and Indigenous Australian labourers.

Records from 1886 indicate that over 200 people worked in the local industry, including 60 Europeans, 102 Chinese, and 68 Malays. At that time, 68 pearling vessels operated in the region, seven of which belonged to Chinese owners. However, the industry's fortunes waned over time, and the authorities imposed strict restrictions on Chinese immigration.

The ABC reported that the Buddha would be returned to China along with some of Shark Bay’s unique red earth and a golden pearl shell. In 2023, Australia also returned a series of valuable cultural relics to China, including items seized by customs and donated pieces from the National Gallery of Australia and a private individual.