BEIJING, June 4 (Alliance News):The three-month-long China-Pakistan joint exhibition offering a glimpse of the ancient Gandhara art and culture has entered its final phase at the Palace Museum in Beijing.
The exhibition titled Gandhara Heritage along the Silk Road lasting till June 15, has jointly been organized by the Palace Museum and Department of Archeology and Museums, National Heritage and Cultural Division, and supported by Pakistan Embassy Beijing.
Total of 203 artifacts, of which 173 come from seven museums in Pakistan and 30 from the Palace Museum have been displayed. Ancient Gandhara was a thriving center of trade along the Silk Road.
The exhibition also included a multimedia presentation, art installations, and interactive activities to help visitors understand the cultural history of the region.
The exhibition has generated a lot of interest among Chinese people and it would further promote cultural and people exchanges between Pakistan and China.
The event is also an important part of the ‘Year of Tourism Exchanges’ being celebrated by China and Pakistan this year.
A large number of people from both countries, including government officials, academics, and members of the public have so far visited this exhibition and learned more about Gandhara Heritage.
Gandhara archaeological sites mainly spread across the southern end of the present-day Hindu Kush and Karakorum mountain ranges in northern Pakistan. This also is an area of the ancient Silk Road that intersected with Mediterranean civilization, Iranian civilization, and Indian civilization.
China and Pakistan are both ancient civilizations on the Silk Road with a long history of cultural and artistic exchanges. Historical records show that between 400AD and 630AD, ancient Chinese monks traveled to Pakistan and left written materials about Gandhara culture.
Chinese artifacts, inscriptions, and coins have also been discovered in many archaeological sites in Pakistan, giving remarkable evidence of historical China-Pakistan exchanges.
The exhibition aims to demonstrate the artistic charm of Gandhara culture and its far-reaching influence on China and East Asia.