The return of overseas cultural relics now faces better historical opportunities, "said Duan Yong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Shanghai University, at a symposium on the protection, inheritance, and dissemination of Longmen Grottoes held in Luoyang, Henan on the 20th. According to the statistics of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics, about 10 million cultural relics have flowed out of China since 1840. The return of a large number of prose works from overseas has always been of great concern. On May 9th local time, French President Macron signed a law on the return of illegally acquired cultural relics, which has attracted widespread attention from international public opinion. This opens a new window for the return of cultural relics from the Old Summer Palace lost in France. ”Duan Yong told China News Service that this also means that the process of returning cultural relics is more convenient and efficient, which is a major progress in the field of cultural relics recovery and return, giving some Chinese cultural relics scattered overseas hope of returning home faster. In recent years, China has actively promoted the return of overseas cultural relics through various means. For example, the rat and rabbit heads returned from the Old Summer Palace by France; The Tianlongshan Buddha Head that returned from Japan; In October 2025, the Warring States silk books from Changsha Bullet Depot, which had been scattered in the United States for decades, "returned home". Although there have been many successful cases, the complexity and pressure of overseas cultural relics recovery cannot be underestimated. ”In Duan Yong's view, the return of lost cultural relics from overseas still faces challenges such as difficulty in constructing evidence chains, difficulty in determining the nature of transactions, and difficulty in identifying moral flaws. During this period, many experts believe that digital restoration is becoming another measure for China to promote the "return home" of scattered cultural relics. Taking the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang as an example, its research institution has collaborated with multiple parties to carry out a three-dimensional data collection and restoration display project for scattered cultural relics, including in-situ exploration of scattered cultural relics, virtual restoration research display, etc., opening up a new path for digital restoration of scattered cultural relics. After investigation, there are nearly 200 scattered cultural relics from overseas in Longmen Grottoes. ”According to Gao Junping, the head of the Digital Department at the Cultural Relics Preservation, Exhibition, and Document Center of Longmen Grottoes Research Institute, digital restoration enables scattered cultural relics to achieve a "unity of body and head", fully reproducing the historical original appearance of the statues. It is an important support for cultural inheritance and is expected to promote the return of cultural relics in the future. At present, 14 pieces of prose artifacts from Longmen Grottoes have been digitally restored. When it comes to digital restoration, Duan Yong believes that digital restoration does not mean digital return. All parties should work together to promote the substantial return of lost cultural relics, which is of great significance for building a fair and just international order. (Looking into the New Era)