Four pieces from a bronze set of 12 Chinese Zodiac signs dating from the Qing Dynasty taken out of the country in 1860 by British and French invaders have returned to China 150 years later. The missing pieces of the precious set were recently purchased and sent to south China's Guangzhou city where it's gone on public display. For the first time in almost 150 years, Chinese people can have a look at these wandering national treasures.

The pig head is one of 12 sculptures featuring humans with animal heads. These pieces, representing the Chinese zodiac, originally guarded a building in Yuanmingyuan, the old imperial summer palace in Beijing.

After more than 140 years away from China, the bronzes were discovered in the United States. Hong Kong magnate Stanley Ho purchased the piece at a price of some 720 thousand US dollars last year, with the idea of returning them to their homeland.

The pig head, along with three other bronze pieces, has returned home; but eight others are still missing.

"I'm still looking for the rest. Returning them is something I can do for the country," said Dr. Stanley Ho, a HK magnate.

The bronzes, showing a perfect combination of Western and Chinese arts, hold a very important position in the history of Chinese sculpture.

(CCTV.com March 22, 2004)