Shared Road,Shared Future

by Yi Mei

The ancient terrestrial Silk Road linked Europe and Asia， while the maritime Silk Road connected Asia and Africa. Traversing tens of thousands of miles across thousands of years， the two routes not only facilitated communication between Eastern and Western cultures but also left countless cultural relics and spiritual legacies.

On April 11， 2019， the exhibition “Sharing a Common Future—Exhibition of Treasures from National Museums along the Silk Road” opened at the National Museum of China. The event is sponsored by the National Museum of China along with other 12 national museums in Cambodia， Japan， Kazakhstan， Latvia， Mongolia， Oman， Poland， South Korea， Romania， Russia， Slovenia and Tajikistan.

Panoramic Display

The Chinese title of the exhibition was drawn from a Chinese book by Ban Gu （32-92） of the Eastern Han Dynasty （25-220）， which is literally translated as “sharing cultural legacies with the people all over the world.” The exhibition is divided into two parts： terrestrial Silk Road and maritime Silk Road， with 234 items （sets） from 13 countries displaying the cultural collision and fusion between different nations along the routes.

“Previous exhibitions under the same theme usually focused on specific sections of the routes，”notes curator Yan Zhi. “But this time， led by the National Museum of China and 12 other national museums， the exhibition brings together a grand display of cultural exchange from a panoramic perspective， to an unprecedented scale and level.”

According to Yan， the exhibition adopted various methods of display to prevent fragmented layout and employed bold colors. “People often use yellow to indicate the land route， while blue connotes the maritime one，” explains Yan. “But the land Silk Road also crossed grasslands， hills and rivers. And the most representative port cities on the maritime route were even more colorful. So， we introduced more hues to showcase the diversity of the Silk Road network.”

“Cultural relics can talk，”opines Wang Chunfa， director of the National Museum of China.“These beautiful antiques showcase the width and depth of comprehensive communication between countries along the routes in terms of technology， arts and culture， which evidences that building a community with a shared future for humanity is the right direction for the whole world.”

Relics from Land Silk Road

The terrestrial Silk Road part focuses on treasures from China， Russia， Mongolia， Tajikistan， Kazakhstan， Romania， Poland and Latvia.

In the Russian section， a spearhead shaped like a leaf dating back 2，000 years represents the typical Turbino culture. In the Bronze Age as nomadic civilization flourished， metal instruments， metallurgical technology and metalworking began to spread rapidly through western Eurasia. Early civilizations in Russia played an important role in this period， represented by the Seima-Turbino culture which was famous for its well-cast bronze weapons. “People usually consider Zhang Qians venture to Western Regions in the Western Han Dynasty（206B.C.-24A.D.） as the beginning of the history of the Silk Road，” Yan Zhi explained. “In fact， the connection between China and western Eurasia began in prehistoric times. Nomads from the Turbino culture galloped over the grasslands of the Eurasian Steppe and spread their weapons and culture around. In Chinas Xinjiang， Qinghai and other regions， extensive Turbino cultural remains have been discovered.”

Latvia was once a destination on the terrestrial Silk Road. In the exhibition is a cup from Chinas Tang Dynasty （618-907） which is the only Chinese cultural relic found in Latvia so far. It was unearthed in the Liv Mountain cemetery dating back to the 11th to 12th centuries. Experts speculate that the cup may have arrived in Central Asia along the Silk Road through Bulgarias Volga River. And then it was carried by Scandinavian merchants and changed hands several times before eventually arriving on the Baltic coast. Its journey to Latvia is a testament to the great history of the Silk Road.

Relics from the Maritime Silk Road

The maritime Silk Road part mainly exhibits relics from Oman， Cambodia， Japan， South Korea and China. Links between China and Oman， a nation located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula， can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. The collection of the National Museum of the Sultanate of Oman includes hundreds of precious Chinese artifacts， many of which were brought to Oman via the maritime Silk Road. Exhibits such as the Sohar Lion， the blue-and-white porcelain jar with peony designs and other ceramic relics represent fine porcelain made in China， which was regarded as a precious and rare material in ancient Oman.

“The 15 artifacts from our museum on display are witnesses to the friendship between Oman and China，” declared Jamal al-Moosawi， director general of the National Museum of the Sultanate of Oman.“The Belt and Road Initiative was proposed based on inspiration from the ancient Silk Road and aims to strengthen interconnection and create a better future for all.”

Ancient Cambodia was heavily influenced by both Chinese and Indian cultures. Stone inscriptions at the Sambor Prei Kuk archaeological site from the 6th to 7th centuries are thought to be influenced by Chinese Buddhist stone pillar art. In this exhibition is a 7th-century Sambor Prei Kuk-style sandstone lintel featuring a dragon design.

In the 18th and 19th centuries， the Polish aristocracy developed great interest in Chinese architecture. Aristocrats in the royal family built many Chinese-style pavilions around their residences. Elements and crafts from China could also be seen in European furniture and decoration. From the collection of the Polish National Museum， the clocks and cabinets displayed in this exhibition reflect rich Chinese style.

“What better than art to shine light on mutual learning between civilizations？” asks Jerry Miziolek， director of the National Museum in Warsaw， Poland. “A universal language， art transcends all national boundaries， enabling people with different cultural backgrounds to communicate freely and silently. The Silk Road was not only a trade route， but also a route for exchanging ideas， techniques and even religions and philosophies.” Miziolek stressed that the exhibition proved that cooperation between museums not only facilitates collaboration of ideas， technology and personnel， but also creates chances for cultural exchange. This exhibition proves that art is key to understanding ourselves and better communicating with others.