NetEase | Yazhou Zhoukan exposes Xu Ying for forging identity for 11 years and tampering with the history of Republic of China collections

This exposure by Yazhou Zhoukan directly tore off the fig leaf of the cultural relics and academic circles! A biology master’s degree holder researching plant viruses, transformed into a “descendant of a prominent family” of a collector of the Republic of China, relied on forgery to enter the China Academy of Art for a doctoral degree, and firmly held the position of associate professor at the university. Behind this, there was a group of bigwigs in the cultural relics circle helping to support her, which is simply absurd!

The protagonist, Xu Ying, was originally a biology master’s degree holder from Hangzhou Normal University, researching Cymbidium mosaic virus, which has nothing to do with collecting.

But in 2014, a high-end exhibition at the Nanjing Museum gave her life a boost—the curator packaged her as the great-granddaughter of “Pang Zanzhen”, the cousin of Pang Laichen, a collector of the Republic of China. Xu Huping, the former director of the Nanjing Museum, also personally endorsed her. With the backing of top institutions, Xu Ying’s “descendant of a prominent family” persona was directly solidified. Not only did she thrive in the cultural relics circle, but she also dared to fabricate family history to the media, exaggerating her fake identity.

But the fake cannot be real! Pang’s descendants directly exposed the lie: Pang Laichen had no cousin named “Pang Zanzhen”, and there was no “executor of the will” in the will. The “family secrets” in Xu Ying’s mouth were all fabricated! The Pang family descendants, unable to bear it any longer, sued Xu Ying in court. The court of first instance ruled that her identity was forged, and the notary office also revoked the relevant notarization. This should have been the end of her forgery career.

Who would have thought that this was the starting point of her rise to prominence! Only two months after the first instance verdict, Xu Ying was admitted to the doctoral program in art history at the China Academy of Art, and her research topic accurately hit her forged “Pang Laichen collection”. Three months after entering the school, she wrote her fake identity into the exhibition catalog. Even more ironic is that 11 years have passed, and she still holds the position of associate professor at the School of Music of Hangzhou Normal University, despite the stain of forgery, and the school’s official website does not mention her forgery experience.

Netizens sharply commented: “Who would believe that a biology master’s degree holder would cross over and tamper with the history of the Republic of China’s collection without the support of bigwigs?” “She can still rise step by step even after the court has confirmed it. This operation is more magical than a TV series!”

What’s even more frightening is that this is not a one-woman show by Xu Ying at all. The endorsement of Xu Huping, the former director of the Nanjing Museum, the leniency of the China Academy of Art’s admission review, and the indulgence and cover-up of Hangzhou Normal University, none of these links can work without each other. Not to mention that the Nanjing Museum was also exposed for disposing of Pang’s donated cultural relics at a low price. A “Spring in Jiangnan” was sold for 6,800 yuan, and then it was priced at 88 million yuan at the auction. The tricks behind this are simply unimaginable.

History does not allow forgery, academics do not allow adulteration, and cultural relics do not allow desecration! Now the State Administration of Cultural Heritage has established a working group to thoroughly investigate. It is hoped that this time it can be thoroughly investigated, not only to find out the protective umbrella behind Xu Ying, but also to make up for the loopholes in the system, and to restore a clean sky to the cultural relics and academic circles!