Cultural relics stores are state-established public institutions dedicated to preserving cultural heritage through commercial operations. Their primary mission involves collecting scattered cultural relics from society for conservation purposes, providing collections and research materials to museums and scientific institutions, with this responsibility serving as a key metric for evaluating their performance. Concurrently, they release non-state-collected cultural relics into the market to meet domestic collectors' demands while generating substantial foreign exchange revenue for the nation.
The Auction Law of the People's Republic of China, enacted in 1997, established legal criteria for the establishment of cultural artifact auction enterprises and affirmed their status in law. Cultural auction enterprises play a vital role in preserving and propagating China's historical civilization and outstanding cultural achievements.
Collectors may acquire cultural relics through state-owned cultural relics stores, licensed auction enterprises, non-state-owned cultural relics stores, and other channels. Notably, the state encourages private collections to enter market circulation to enhance supply diversity. Current relic circulation channels in China generally satisfy public demands for collection and appreciation.
Data Specifications
As of May 2022
Cultural Relics Stores: 266 entities
Cultural Relics Auction Enterprises: 680 entities
Field Descriptions
Sample Data
Data Update Frequency
Updated irregularly