Fragile Cargo

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This gripping true story follows the courageous curators who protected China's finest art during the Sino-Japanese War and World War II. In the spring of 1933, the Forbidden City in Peking is filled with tension as Japanese forces approach. The curators face a daunting challenge: how to safeguard the vast imperial art collections they oversee, which include a million pieces that embody China's rich history. Among these treasures are irreplaceable artifacts, such as exquisite silk paintings, rare Ming porcelain, and the culturally significant Stone Drums of Qin, inscribed with 2,500-year-old messages. Under the leadership of museum director Ma Heng, the curators embark on a perilous journey, transporting the collections thousands of miles across China. They navigate treacherous rivers, rugged mountains, and war-torn cities, all while confronting the violence, chaos, and starvation of China's Second World War. This remarkable tale, now told in English for the first time, showcases the determination of a small group of individuals who chose to resist the destruction of civilization in the face of war.