Voice from experts
The broken piece is the state's top-level celadon-glazed plate manufactured by the Ge Kiln during the Song Dynasty, and dating back 1,000 years.
An investigation conducted by museum officials after the accident finds that the plate was broken last month due to an operational error by a researcher when it was squeezed by a testing instrument.
Chen Lihua, Deputy Curator of the Palace Museum and chief investigator of the accident, says the museum did not make the incident known to the public when it occurred because of some work procedure considerations.
"The case of the damage is rather unusual because it involves human beings and a machine. Something went wrong when our technicians operated that machine, so we have to judge which party should be responsible."
But experts say it's not appropriate to lay blame solely on the machine or technicians. They place more importance on the managerial abilities of museum officials. But it's not just at the Palace Museum.
Lu Jiansong is a professor in the Department of Cultural Heritage and Museology at Fudan University in Shanghai.
"The problem of breaking a collection item and covering it up is widely seen among museums nationwide. To tackle this problem, a scientific standard should be created inside the museums, regarding the process of handling and testing. A time limit should be set for reporting such incidents to higher authorities. Last but not least, the investigation team should consist of experts outside the museum."
The Palace Museum remained silent on the matter until a netizen in southwest China's Sichuan Province revealed it on his microblog about 26 days after it had occurred. Once the news was out, the museum says it has set up an investigation team led by an internal vice curator.
The Palace Museum says it is confident that it can repair the broken artifact, although experts say the plate cannot be restored to its original condition.
It is estimated that the price of a well-preserved piece of porcelain from the Ge Kiln is worth more than 100 million yuan, or 15 million US dollars.
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