10月21日
……周四我參加了一個「毀燒圓明園」的狂歡活動。圓明園離我這兒大約有四英裡，其中一部分優雅地坐落於山坡上，融入壯麗的山色中。不同於一切歐洲宮殿的風格，它由一大群散落山腳平原的樓閣組成，無邊無際。
這些廟宇裡滿是絕美的青銅和琺瑯，但實在太大太沉，搬不動……我成功搶到了不少青銅和琺瑯花瓶，還有一些極其精緻、鑲繡帝王黃綠龍紋的瓷杯與茶碟，但是它們太脆弱易碎了，我真害怕能否完好無損地把它們帶回家。
這一段驚心動魄的文字節選於英國海軍上校哈利·劉易斯·埃文斯（Harry Lewis Evans）與家人的信件。
這些信件明確記錄了1860年他跟隨英法聯軍侵略中國並參與洗劫圓明園的細節。
而正是在這次掠奪之中流失海外的中國稀有青銅器「虎鎣（yíng）」近日又將現世，不過令人痛心的是，這次露面是因為它即將被拍賣。
據《古董貿易公報》（Antiques Trade Gazette）報導，這件中國稀有青銅器，圓明園被掠奪的文物之一，「虎鎣」將於4月11日在英國肯特拍賣，消息一出便吸引了眾多關注。
A rare Chinese bronze water vessel believed to have been taken during the looting of Beijing’s Old Summer Palace in 1860 has been discovered in Kent, southeast England. The relic will go on sale at The Canterbury Auction Galleries on April 11 with an estimate of 120,000 to 200,000 pounds ($170,000 - $285,000).
looting：搶劫；洗劫
虎鎣
這尊距今約3000年的稀有西周青銅盛水器「鎣」因其器蓋和出水口的老虎造型設計而得名「虎鎣」，是目前世界僅存的七件「鎣」類青銅器之一。
According to The Canterbury Auction Galleries, only six similar archaic vessels, known as Ying, are said to exist, and five of them are in museums. The vessel dates back to the Western Zhou dynasty (1027-771 BC). It is called the Tiger Ying because the spout and lid are both cast with models of the creature.
archaic [ɑ'kek]：古代的；古香古色的
vessel ['vsl]：容器；船；艦
英國海軍上校哈利·劉易斯·埃文斯（Harry Lewis Evans）
與往常不同的是，此次事件中，「虎鎣」的前任擁有者——英國海軍上校哈利·劉易斯·埃文斯（Harry Lewis Evans）與家人的信件也同時被發現。這些信件明確記錄了他跟隨軍隊侵略中國並參與洗劫圓明園的細節。
Also found was an archive of letters and photographs from Royal Marines Captain Harry Lewis Evans (1831-83), who fought in the war, gives a vivid account of his time in China.
埃文斯上校家中擺放的「虎鎣」
讓我們來讀一讀這封信，揭開那一段埋藏在歷史深處充滿屈辱的真相：
25th October
10月25日
…Rather a good trait in their character was it not, restoring the prisoners without having tortured them or done them any injury… we found that our shells had done great execution. In one place I counted not less than 18 dead bodies in a space of less than 50 yards...
……清軍性格中的這一點很好啊是不是，他們釋放的俘虜都未受虐待、毫髮未損……我們發現我們的炮彈殺傷力十足。在某處方圓50碼以內，就有不下18具屍體，傷員全都被運走……
Their loss was tremendous. A flag of truce was sent over and the surrender of the remaining forts was demanded.
他們的損失極為慘重。最終一面停戰的旗幟被送來，剩下的堡壘也全被要求投降。
The war is now virtually at an end, and before many months are over I expect we shall all be on our way home, I am afraid that I shall not be at home in time for Xmas…
現在戰爭顯然已經結束了。我估計過不了幾個月，我們就該踏上回家的路了，我擔心我沒法在聖誕節前趕回家了......
Peking is now virtually ours, one of the gates have been surrendered to us several days ago, on the day on which we were to have opened fire…
北京現在已經幾乎是我們的了，就在好幾天前我們將要開火的時候，它的一個城門上向我們豎起了白旗……
...the following day we were to have gone on to the Summer Palace... there being only about 300 servants left to look after the place, and a small guard of about 50 men, who of course did not attempt any resistance.
第二天我們就要進入圓明園了……那裡只留下了大約300個照看圓明園的僕人，和50人左右的衛兵，當然他們沒嘗試任何抵抗。
The French got lots of valuable loot in the way of watches, clocks, fur coats, silks etc. The General (Sir Hope Grant) sent out all the carts he could find, brought in as much as they could carry, and all the things were sold by auction for prize money for the force actually present on the 6th, and a considerable amount was realized as the things went at fabulous prices.
法國人搜颳了大量值錢的戰利品，包括手錶、鐘錶、皮大衣、絲綢等。霍普·格蘭特將軍號令用上所有能找到的推車，能裝多少就裝多少回來。而所有這些寶貝都被現場拍賣掉，賣的錢作為獎勵發給6號參戰的部隊，這些寶物售價高昂，最後的金額相當可觀。
There was also a large sum of sycee silver and gold found, which will also be divided amongst the troops. Some of the money has already been distributed. I expect to get about five and forty Pounds for my share.
還發現了一大筆銀錠和金錠，這些錢也會被分發給軍隊上下。其中一部分已經被派發出去了。我預計自己能分到54鎊。
21st October
10月21日
…I went out on Thursday with a party to burn down the Summer Palace. It is about four miles from here, and a portion of it is beautifully situated on a spur of the hills which form a magnificent background; it is very different from all European notions of a palace, and consists of range of buildings scattered over an immense extent of ground on the plain at the foot of the hills.
……周四我參加了一個「毀燒圓明園」的狂歡活動。圓明園離我這兒大約有四英裡，其中一部分優雅地坐落於山坡上，融入壯麗的山色中。不同於一切歐洲宮殿的風格，它由一大群散落在山腳平原的樓閣組成，無邊無際。
The temples were enriched with quantities of most beautiful bronzes and enamels, but were too large and heavy to be moved conveniently...
這些廟宇裡滿是絕美的青銅和琺瑯，但實在太大太沉，搬不動……
I succeeded in getting several bronzes and enamel vases as well as some very fine porcelain cups and saucers of the Emperor's imperial pattern (yellow with green dragons) but they are so dreadfully brittle that I quite despair ever being able to get them home in their present condition.
我成功搶到了不少青銅和琺瑯花瓶，還有一些極其精緻、鑲繡帝王黃綠龍紋的瓷杯與茶碟，但是它們太脆弱易碎了，我真害怕能否完好無損地把它們帶回家。
拍賣消息的不脛而走和令人震驚的信件內容，讓許多中國民眾憤慨不已，昨天中國日報相關報導的評論中也不乏惋惜的聲音：
也有一些聲音表達了要用大量金錢買回自己東西的不滿：
此次拍賣會的顧問阿拉斯泰爾·吉布森（Alastair Gibson）在公開信函中的一段話更是刺眼，其對中國買家的示好似乎別有用意：
「回顧這個家庭的愛國軍事歷史，將剩下的物品拍賣掉是一個令人心酸的時刻。」埃文斯家族希望通過這樣一個機會，「使來自世界各地的新一代藏家珍愛收藏這些青銅器，也希望它們中的一些可以再回到中國收藏家那裡。」
The Evans family of Fronfelen now hope that this opportunity will allow the bronzes to be cherished by a new generation of collectors from around the world, and hopefully some of them may find their way back to collectors in China.
然而究竟是通過拍賣直接買回文物，還是尋求其他的手段嘗試帶回我們自己的寶物呢？如何讓流失文物回家，是一個長期而複雜的議題，這困擾著世界上多個擁護和平的文明古國，也讓很多守著贓物寶庫的發達國家在沒有強大國際法和成功案例的情況下持續傲慢了幾個世紀。這樣的窘境期待著我們用智慧與魄力去尋找體面的解決方案。
作為千年文明古國，中國有巨量的海外遺珍散落在世界各地。
每個中國人都無時無刻不在牽掛著它們的安危。
這次「虎鎣」事件究竟如何發展，且待觀察，而那些成功回歸或仍處爭端漩渦中的流失文物，還有那些可能成為明日海外遺珍的瀕危文物，更值得每一個中國人用心珍惜和保護。
希望它們早日回家！