Wang, the 55-year-old chairman of Huayi Brothers Media, one of China’s largest entertainment groups, reportedly paid 207 million yuan (£21.9m/US$31.7m).

The letter – thought to be the only surviving work by Song dynasty scholar and government official Zeng Gong – was written on 27 September 1080, according to China Radio International. It is called Jushi Tie, which roughly translates as “a letter on happenings”.