A 500-year-old bronze Buddha statue discovered in Western Australia has been repatriated to China, amid ongoing questions about its origins in the region. The figurine, measuring 15 centimeters, was formally handed over to Chinese consular officials during a ceremony held Tuesday in Denham, a town located within Shark Bay on Australia’s west coast.

The statue will be transported to China for further analysis to better understand its provenance, after which it is expected to be exhibited in a museum in Beijing. The artifact was initially found in 2018 by Leon Deschamps and Shayne Thomson, who uncovered it buried beside a roadside while testing metal-detecting equipment. Since the discovery, the pair advocated for its return to China as a gesture of cultural goodwill.

Simon Wu, president of the Australia China Friendship Society Western Australia, described the return as a meaningful act that fosters international respect and connection, noting it as an example of how cultural artifacts can serve as bridges between nations.

The Buddha statue, believed to be the oldest Chinese artifact found on Australian soil, dates back to China’s Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Asian art expert Lee Young authenticated the piece, identifying it as used in traditional Buddhist ceremonies marking the Buddha’s birthday. During these rituals, worshippers would pour water over the statue’s shoulders while chanting sutras to promote compassion and virtuous behavior.

However, the circumstances of how the statue arrived in Australia remain unclear. Some speculate it may have come aboard the treasure fleets of the renowned 15th-century Chinese admiral Zheng He, though there is no concrete evidence that his voyages reached Australian territory. More widely accepted is the theory that the statue arrived during the 19th century with Chinese pearlers and fishermen.

Shark Bay holds historical significance as the birthplace of Western Australia’s pearling industry, which heavily depended on labor from Malay, Chinese, and Indigenous Australian workers. Historical records from the Western Australian Museum note that an 1886 census documented over 200 individuals employed in the local pearling sector, including 102 Chinese workers. At that time, 68 pearling vessels operated in the area, seven of which were Chinese-owned.

Along with the statue, some of Shark Bay’s characteristic red earth and a golden pearl shell were also returned to China during the handover ceremony. This event follows a similar repatriation effort in 2023, when Australia returned a collection of Chinese relics—including customs-seized items and pieces donated by the National Gallery of Australia and private individuals—back to China.