SHANGHAI.- Ma Chengyuan, once the president of the Shanghai Museum, 77, died. Ma Chengyuan was an authority on ancient Chinese bronzes. He began working at the museum just after it was founded in 1952. He also helped select items for its original collection of about 13,000 ancient Chinese works. Official protection was given to the collection until the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution.

In an interview he stated, "When Red Guards arrived, we told them we were busy making revolution ourselves."

After this event, he was imprisoned, tortured and sent to a labor camp. In 1985 he was appointed director of the museum.