A cultural shift
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E-mail China Daily, August 28, 2018
It might be the case that this warrior was selected for his friendly gesture, as he looks like he's about to shake hands. He will also be escorted by three soldiers and a horse-drawn chariot from the mausoleum for this trip to Riyadh.
"This (display) will be the most number of Terracotta Warriors that we have ever agreed to send abroad for a comprehensive exhibition," Xu adds.
Another highlight will be a jade outfit sewn with gold threads. Burial suits like these were used exclusively for emperors and their closest kin during the Han Dynasty (206 BC to AD 220). It was unearthed from a Han vassal king's tomb in today's Xuzhou, Jiangsu province.
The curator was careful to select items that specifically reflect Chinese national totems like the easily-recognizable C-shaped jade dragon and items bearing images of dragons and phoenixes, and items that connect with Arabic culture.
"The ancient Silk Road was crucial conduit for cultural communication between the Islamic world and China," Xu says. "This is why we have so many cultural relics in China that reflect the influence of Islamic culture."
Many of the exhibits from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) used figurines on camels and figurines of Western Asian people; ceramics inscribed with Arabic words, and Islamic tombstones from Zayton (today's Quanzhou, Fujian province)－a pivotal trade port on Maritime Silk Road in the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties.
Speaking about the upcoming event, Fahad Majed Alshareef, the Saudi cultural attache in China, says: "Saudi people have great expectations for the exhibition because it is a rare chance for us to see the brilliance of traditional Chinese culture first hand."
"The connection between China and Saudi Arabia is another example that shows how different civilizations and religions continue to maintain dialogue and learn from each other."
He also adds that China's Belt and Road Initiative can link more closely with the Saudi Vision 2030 plan through projects like this. The Saudi plan aims to reduce the country's dependence on oil and diversify the Saudi economy by developing public service sectors－including culture and tourism.
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