Ikhanda lehhashi lethusi liboniswa e-Old Summer Palace ngoDisemba 1, 2020 e-Beijing. VCG/VCG nge Getty Images

Kamuva nje, sekube noguquko emhlabeni jikelele lapho ubuciko obebiwa ngesikhathi se-imperialism bubuyiselwe ezweni labo elifanele, njengendlela yokulungisa amanxeba omlando ayedalwe ngaphambilini. NgoLwesibili, uphiko lweNational Cultural Heritage Administration yaseChina luqale ngempumelelo ukubuyisela inhloko yehhashi lethusi e-Old Summer Palace eBeijing, eminyakeni engu-160 ngemuva kokuba lebiwe esigodlweni ngamasosha akwamanye amazwe ngo-1860. Ngaleso sikhathi, iChina yayihlaselwa Amasosha ase-Anglo-French phakathi neMpi Yesibili Ye-Opium, okwakungenye yezimpi eziningi izwe elalwa nazo ngesikhathi esibizwa ngokuthi “ikhulu leminyaka lokuthotshiswa.”

Ngaleso sikhathi, iShayina yahlaselwa kaningi ngokulahlekelwa yimpi kanye nezivumelwano ezingalingani ezathunaza izwe ngokuphawulekayo, futhi ukuphangwa kwalesi sithombe esiqoshiwe kwamela ikhulu leminyaka lokuthotshiswa ngokusobala. Leli khanda lehhashi, elaklanywa umdwebi wase-Italy u-Giuseppe Castiglione futhi laqedwa cishe ngonyaka we-1750, laliyingxenye yomthombo waseYuanmingyuan e-Old Summer Palace, eyayinezithombe eziqoshiwe ezingu-12 ezimelela izimpawu zezilwane ezingu-12 ze-zodiac yaseShayina: igundane, inkabi, ingwe, unogwaja, udrako, inyoka, ihhashi, imbuzi, inkawu, iqhude, inja nengulube. Eziyisikhombisa zezithombe eziqoshiwe zibuyiselwe eShayina futhi zigcinwe eminyuziyamu ehlukahlukene noma ngasese; amahlanu abonakale enyamalala. Ihhashi lingelokuqala kule mifanekiso eqoshiwe elibuyiselwe endaweni yalo yokuqala.