Asian Civilization Week a platform for cultural exchanges
Zhejiang University launched the Asian Civilization Week on May 11 in an attempt to create a platform for cultural exchanges and mutual learning among Asian countries.
The event included exhibitions showcasing the diverse Asian cultures, as well as seminars discussing future academic and archeological partnerships.
The "Communication and Innovation: Asian Civilization on the Silk Road" exhibition is the highlight of the event.
More than 210 antiques on loan from domestic and overseas museums showcase the thriving cultures and booming economy along the ancient Silk Road at the Zhejiang University Museum of Art and Archeology until August 10.
A stone Buddha figurine found in the region that is now Pakistan
Asia is one of the cradles of human civilization. Three of the four ancient riverine civilizations emerged in Asia: the Indus Valley in the Indian subcontinent, Mesopotamia between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, and the Chinese along the Yellow and Yangtze rivers.
When it comes to human civilizations, people start with the symbols and words system. Mesopotamia is widely considered to have had the earliest written language.
A clay panel carved with cuneiform, which means "wedge-shaped" because of the triangular tip of the stylus used for impressing signs on wet clay, is on display.
The creation of cuneiform for the Sumerian language in Mesopotamia could date back to 3,500 BC. Each cuneiform sign appears to have developed its standardized form from pictograms. This clay panel records the economic life in this region, reflecting the origin of commerce millennia ago.
A clay panel carved with cuneiform
Mesopotamia was part of a region in modern-day Iraq, which was a destination along the Silk Road.
Foreign envoys, visiting the Chinese imperial court, presented exotic animals and plants as tributes, while merchants journeyed vast distances to trade the novelties in China, which included the likes of lions, elephants, peacocks, pomegranates and tomatoes.
China used to import a plethora of products from the ancient Near East, enriching the lives of the Chinese people. Conversely, silk fabrics, adorned with intricate patterns of exotic elements crafted by Chinese artisans, were exported.
Millennia ago, smooth and soft silk was the most coveted commodity, hence the trading route was famously known as the Silk Road.
The exhibition displays a piece of silk dating to AD 700. Featuring two deer and a tree, this classic pattern was once prevalent throughout the ancient Near East. It testifies to the cultural and economic exchanges along the Silk Road.
A Tang Dynasty ceramic camel, carrying a bag engraved with Dionysus–the Greek god of wine, is another antique that embodies the exchanges between ancient China and other realms.
The sculpture was unearthed from ancient Chang'an, now known as Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, which served as the capital of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907) and was renowned as the largest and most affluent metropolis of its era.
The Yuezhi people played an important role in the development of the Silk Road and the growth of Buddhism in China.
Yuezhi came to be known as Kushan among Western civilizations; however, the Chinese kept referring to them as Yuezhi throughout the dynasties.
As a result of the Buddhist Kushan Empire's expansion into the Chinese territory of the Tarim Basin, Buddhism began to spread in China during the Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 220).
A piece of silk with classic patterns from the ancient Near East
Visitors to the exhibition will be able to admire a stone Buddha figurine found in the region that is now Pakistan.
During the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong (AD 598–649) sent Monk Xuanzang to Tianzhu, the Chinese name for ancient India.
This journey yielded a trove of sacred texts, which greatly facilitated the growth and deepened the understanding of Buddhism, marking a significant milestone in the history of religious and cultural exchanges.
Buddhism subsequently evolved into the dynasty's main religion, with millions of devout believers worshipping Buddha and building temples across China.
Since then, it has become part of Chinese culture, influencing a wide variety of fields such as art, architecture, medicine, philosophy and literature.
If you go
Date: Through August 10 (closed on Mondays), 9am-2:30pm
Venue: Zhejiang University Museum of Art and Archeology
Address: 866 Yuhangtang Rd
余杭塘路866號
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