Beijing District officials shine light on pilfered candleholders

Two candleholders at Si Ling, the tomb of the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), Chongzhen Emperor, are missing in this photo taken on Wednesday, April 5, 2017. Only their bases are left. [Photo: The Beijing News]

Officials in a Beijing district have announced a round of firings after confirming earlier reports of the theft of Ming Dynasty relics.

The Changping District government has confirmed a pair of stone candleholders dating back hundreds of years were stolen, though they have not said when the theft may have taken place.

A photo posted by Wu Xiaoping on his Weibo account shows one of the candleholders at Si Ling before it was stolen. [Photo: weibo.com]

The theft was reported this March.

However, reports online have speculated the ancient artifacts may have disappeared over a year ago, but that the theft was never reported.

The stone candleholders are part of the Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty, a UNESCO-listed heritage site in northwest Beijing.

A photo posted by Wu Xiaoping on his Weibo account details the carvings on the surface of one of the missing candleholders from Si Ling. [Photo: weibo.com]

Wu Xiaoping, a member of the Beijing Cultural Relics Preservation Association, has written on his personal Weibo account that he doubted the candleholders were under repair, which had been claimed earlier by tomb staff.

"The candleholders were not broken. On the contrary, the two vases nearby were more damaged," said Wu, adding that repair work, if really necessary, would have been conducted on the site without removing the candleholders.

A photo posted by Wu Xiaoping, a member of the Beijing Cultural Relics Preservation Association, on his personal Weibo account, shows five stone items used for offering sacrifices to the dead at Si Ling. The two candleholders are still seen on their bases in the undated photo. [Photo: weibo.com]

The two candleholders are among five stone items used for offering sacrifices to the deceased at Si Ling, the tomb of the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), the Chongzhen Emperor, as well as his queen and a concubine.