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Profile: Chinese policeman spearheads fight against tomb robbery

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E-mail Xinhua, November 23, 2023

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NANJING, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Ding Li, a Chinese policeman on a mission against cultural relic crimes, demonstrates the powerful outcome when passion meets profession.

At 50, Ding, an ardent archaeology enthusiast, has unraveled more than 260 cases, apprehended 230 suspects involved in tomb robbery and illegal cultural relic trade, and reclaimed over 13,000 artifacts in just three years.

"The cultural relics retrieved by Ding could rival the holdings of a medium-sized museum," said Ding's colleague Wu Qiang in eastern China's Jiangsu Province.

FORMIDABLE FOE OF GRAVE ROBBERS

Amiable, mild-mannered, and talkative, Ding may not initially strike you as a figure that would instill fear in grave robbers.

However, fueled by a passion for cultural relics, this police officer from Xuzhou City, Jiangsu, integrates modern technology into his policing, unraveling a series of previously unsolved tomb-robbing cases.

Ding's hometown, Xuzhou, once known as Pengcheng during the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), was the burial site of kings from the Chu Kingdom. These mausoleums received national protection in 1996.

In 2010, a mausoleum on Woniu Mountain was looted, remaining unsolved for over a decade due to a lack of leads.

"The emergency excavation yielded over 1,000 cultural items from the tomb. The stolen relics, often more exquisite, hold significant importance for studying the history of Xuzhou," Ding said.

Ding noted that tomb robbers display different features, with some specializing in distinctive ventilation techniques and others in tomb-sealing methods.

He reviewed 20 years of cases related to state-protected cultural heritage sites in Xuzhou, leading the development of a tomb robber database with on-site investigation materials and support from colleagues skilled in big data.

Unexpectedly, this effort led him to identify a group of suspects in various tomb-raiding cases, including the main suspect in the Woniu Mountain mausoleum looting.

During a nationwide crackdown on cultural relic crimes since August 2020, Xuzhou Public Security Bureau established a studio for Ding, a genuine cross-disciplinary expert.

Well-versed in Han Dynasty stone reliefs, he played a key role in recovering two valuable pieces and arresting 11 tomb robbers in 20-plus days for a longstanding case in neighboring Anhui Province.

In a separate instance, his sharp investigative skills led to the discovery of a bow-shaped object in an inconspicuous corner of an antique store, ultimately dismantling a tomb-robbing gang posing as archaeological explorers.

LIFETIME LEARNER WITH A CULTURAL HEART

Ding's backstory is no less interesting.

His passion for cultural artifacts began in his hometown, Xuzhou, once a vibrant center for ancient coin trading.

Starting from primary school, he collected various ancient coins and explored antique markets and bookstores dedicated to ancient texts during his college years.

"Cultural relics serve as witnesses and carriers of history. When you delve deep into the history of a city, your love for it grows, and you become increasingly driven to reclaim those lost cultural artifacts for it," he said.

The intricate network of grave robbers poses unique challenges, requiring a deep understanding of historical contexts and criminal tactics.

Ding's 90-square-meter basement is a treasure trove, housing approximately 13,000 books on cultural relics and archaeology.

After he became a police officer, he delved into cultural artifact forgery methods and the industry's covert language to crack heritage crime cases.

Ding has shared his strategies for combatting tomb robbing in journals to inspire his fellow police officers.

"I hope to apply modern criminal investigation technology to solve more unsolved cultural relic cases, ensuring that stolen treasures are reclaimed and brought back into the light," he said. Enditem