A tenth-century wall panel dynamited from a tomb in northern China and offered for sale at Christie's auction house in New York (see "U.S. Seeks Return of Stolen Chinese Wall Panel," March 30, 2000) was returned to Chinese officials on May 23.

At a ceremony held at the U.S. Customs House in New York, Consul General Zhang Hongxi, right, said he was "very touched" by the "wonderful example of cooperation" between U.S. and Chinese authorities for the panel's return. "This very imposing-looking Chinese warrior has had some very unfortunate experiences. He could never have expected that, 1,000 years after his death, some very unworthy descendants would do terrible things to him.... I think after this experience he will be very well protected when he returns to China."