Balanced News: Teapot drama targeting British Museum sparks nationalist fervor in China

Chinese state media and netizens are praising a web drama titled “Escape from the British Museum” that depicts a jade teapot trying to return to China. The drama coincides with calls for the return of Chinese artifacts from the British Museum. However, the drama’s portrayal of the teapot as a lost artifact ignores the fact that it was made in 2011 and willingly sent to the museum. The nationalist sentiment surrounding the drama highlights ongoing debates over repatriation and ownership of cultural artifacts. Some Chinese media outlets have questioned the mixing of cultural relics and patriotism for online traffic.