Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Cultural Relics (1982)

Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Cultural Relics (1982)

(Adopted at the 25th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 5th National People's Congress and promulgated by Order of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress No. 11 on November 19, 1982)

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1 This Law is formulated with a view to strengthening state protection of cultural relics, contributing to the development of scientific research, inheriting the splendid historical and cultural legacy of our nation, conducting education in patriotism and in the revolutionary tradition, and building a socialist society with an advanced culture and ideology.

Article 2 The state shall place under its protection, within the boundaries of the People's Republic of China, the following cultural relics of historical, artistic or scientific value:
1. sites of ancient culture, ancient tombs, ancient architectural structures, cave temples and stone carvings that are of historical, artistic or scientific value;
2. buildings, memorial sites and memorial objects related to major historical events, revolutionary movements or famous people that are highly memorable or are of great significance for education or for the preservation of historical data;
3. valuable works of art and handicraft articles dating from various historical periods;
4. important revolutionary documents as well as manuscripts and ancient or old books and materials, etc., that are of historical, artistic or scientific value; and
5. typical material objects reflecting the social system, social production or the life of various nationalities in different historical periods.
The criteria and measures for the verification of cultural relics shall be formulated by the state department for cultural administration, which shall report them to the State Council for approval.
Fossils of paleovertebrates and paleoanthropoids of scientific value shall be protected by the state in the same way as cultural relics.

Article 3 The state department for cultural administration shall take charge of the work concerning cultural relics throughout the country.
Local people's governments at various levels shall place under their protection cultural relics in their respective administrative areas. Provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government as well as autonomous prefectures, counties, autonomous counties and cities where there are relatively large amounts of cultural relics may set up organs for the protection and control of the cultural relics within their respective administrative areas.
All government organs, public organizations and individuals have the obligation to protect the country's cultural relics.

Article 4 All cultural relics remaining underground or in the inland waters or territorial seas within the boundaries of the People's Republic of China shall be owned by the state.
Sites of ancient culture, ancient tombs and cave temples shall be owned by the state. Memorial buildings, ancient architectural structures, stone carvings, etc., designated for protection by the state, unless governed by other state regulations, shall be owned by the state.
Cultural relics in the collection of state organs, armed forces, enterprises owned by the whole people and public institutions shall be owned by the state.

Article 5 Ownership of memorial buildings, ancient architectural structures and cultural relics handed down from generation to generation which belong to collectives or individuals shall be protected by state laws. Owners of the cultural relics must abide by the relevant state regulations governing the protection and control of cultural relics.

Article 6 The expenses for the protection and control of cultural relics shall be listed in the budgets of the central and local governments.

Chapter II Sites To Be Protected For Their Historical And Cultural Value

Article 7 Cultural relics, such as sites related to revolutionary history, memorial buildings, sites of ancient culture, ancient tombs, ancient architectural structures, cave temples, stone carvings, etc., shall be designated as sites to be protected for their historical and cultural value at different levels according to their historical, artistic or scientific value.
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