Each of the 272 items is a masterpiece from the British Museum's vast collections and together they demonstrate the long history of human civilization worldwide.

The two and a half month exhibition will enable Chinese audiences an opportunity to enjoy the collection of a world class museum without going abroad.

There are political and legal questions about ownership. The British Museum acquired many of its items before other countries had drafted laws to protect their cultural relics. If we exhibited these items it would imply that we recognized their ownership.

This is the first co-operation between our museum and the British Museum, and I hope we will have more exchanges in the future.

Existence is a series of footnotes to a vast, obscure, unfinished masterpiece.

It was a masterpiece. He was great.