Kinmen Historical Site Chen Xian Tomb Damaged, Police Apprehend Man in Changhua

Kinmen, April 16 (CNA) - Kinmen's county-designated historical site, the Chen Xian Tomb, has reportedly been damaged. Police stated today that after reviewing surveillance footage, they identified a man surnamed Li as a prime suspect and apprehended him in Changhua. He will be prosecuted under the Criminal Code for grave disturbance and the Cultural Heritage Preservation Law. Descendants discovered the suspected damage to the Chen Xian Tomb on April 6 during tomb sweeping and reported it to the police. The Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau and the Criminal Investigation Division formed a special task force to investigate the scene, collect evidence, and review surrounding surveillance footage. The Jinhu Precinct stated in a press release that the task force expanded its review of traffic surveillance footage from several months, meticulously filtering and cross-referencing the data, which led to identifying a man surnamed Li as the prime suspect. Seizing the opportune moment, officers flew to Changhua for a search and apprehension. On the morning of the 15th, they, along with the Changhua County Police Bureau's Xihu Precinct Investigation Team, apprehended the suspect at his residence, where probes and Luoyang shovels were also found. The case will be transferred to the Fujian Kinmen District Prosecutors Office. Police said that Kinmen has many historical sites, ancient tombs, and old houses that may become targets for thieves seeking ancient artifacts. They urge the public to be aware of theft prevention, to patrol or install anti-theft equipment regularly, and to utilize the spirit of neighborhood mutual assistance by immediately reporting any suspicious persons, things, or criminal activities to the police. According to the Kinmen Cultural Affairs Bureau's official website, Chen Xian, in the late Yuan Dynasty, passed the provincial examination and became a juren. In the first imperial examination of the Ming Dynasty, Hongwu 4 (1371), candidates who passed were granted exemption from the metropolitan examination and were directly appointed. At that time, Chen Xian and two others were recommended. Chen Xian, having passed the examination, was known as the 'First Scholar of Kinmen.' He passed away in the first year of Yongle (1403). (Editor: Li Ming-tsung) 1150416