Silk Road exhibition in National Museum Beijing

National Museum Beijing

November 6, 2014 - January 5, 2015

Galleries S7 and S8

Hosted by: Ministry of Culture, China, State Administration of Cultural Heritage, Shaanxi People’s Gover nment, Gansu People’s Government, The People’s Government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Qinghai People’s Government, The People’s Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Henan People’s Government

China has a long history of cultural exchanges with the West. In the late 2nd century BC, Zhang Qian in the Western Han Dynasty visited the Western Regions and opened up the Silk Road, which marked that the cultural exchanges between China and the West entering into a new era. At the time, the Silk Road was the most important channel for trade and cultural communication between the East and the West in the world. Since the Han Dynasty, the Silk Road had been constantly expanded, and a complex network transport system mainly consisting of desert, steppe and maritime routes was formed and reached its heyday in the Tang Dynasty. This system linked ancient civilizations of China, India, Persia, Greece, Rome, Egypt and other Eastern Asian countries then and became the main artery through which these countries absorbed cultural nutrition from each other. Delegations, businessmen, monks, artists and commoners from various countries trave led along the Silk Road, greatly boosting the political, economic and cultural exchanges. A more brilliant civilization was developed by humanity in the process of interchanges of goods, interaction among different people and cultural exchanges.

Over the past 2,000 years, the Silk Road, as the main traffic artery connecting China and the West, has facilitated exchanges and dialogues between China and the world, and presented the cultural inclusiveness and the perpetual cultural achievements of ancient China. Today, the Silk Road has already become a spirit and symbol transcending its historical definition, and sets an example to demonstrate the value of world peace and development. In 2013 President Xi Jinping proposed to build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. In 2014, the “Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an -Tianshan Corridor” was inscribed on the World Heritage List. All these will boost spreading of spirit and value of the Silk Road.

As APEC meeting will be held in Beijing, we particularly organize this exhibition. Over 400 selected and precious cultural relics will be on display and present a true picture of the historical culture and brilliantac hievements of the Silk Road from multiple perspectives so as to help people draw lessons from history and promote such concepts for common development as human equality, dialogue, inclusiveness, communication and mutual-benefit.