He said: "Money is something external, I have never cared about it my whole life. In the 1930s, I spent all my family's wealth for the country (during the war). … These collections have always been ready to be donated to the country at any time."

Other key exhibits include manuscripts by Zhao Fengfu (1254-1322), a Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) painting master; bronze musical instruments from over 2,500 years ago; and a rarely seen Northern Song (960-1127) porcelain produced in a royal kiln.

As these relics remain witnesses to cultural legacies, the donors' spirits still resonate among today's visitors.

"Our predecessors, with boundless love for Chinese culture, selflessly donated their lifelong treasures to the nation," says Zheng Yuan, Zheng Zhenduo's grandson, when visiting the exhibition. "Their noble act of transforming private possessions into public goods will forever be remembered.

"These precious cultural artifacts are not only memories of the donor's family but also treasures of the nation, serving as a cultural bridge that connects the past and the future."