Soft Law in Promoting the Return of Zhaoling Two Steeds in Tang Dynasty

It is generally accepted that stolen cultural objects shall be returned, but it is still a more complex and comparatively ambiguous matter when it comes to solving cases left over by history. The Six Stone Horse Reliefs are one of the most influential works of art in Chinese history, but unfortunately the beginning of 20th century witnessed the political and social upheaval of China, which resulted not only in people’s suffering but also in the loss of the cultural relics. The Six Stone Horse Reliefs were stolen and broken in China. Two of the six stone horses, called Sa Luzi and Quan Maogua, were illegally shipped to the United States and today are exhibited at the University Museum of Pennsylvania. While referring to the example of the Six Stone Horse Reliefs, this article puts forward the argument for using soft-law instruments to break through the shortcomings of existing international treaties and the limitations of domestic law.