Calligraphy of a dead language used by people of the ancient Chinese kingdom of Xixia will be on exhibition from July 24-27 at the China Art Gallery.

More than 250 works featuring Xixia characters will be on display, including stele inscriptions, manuscripts and xylographic literature, photographs of the relics, calligraphy and seal cutting by modern Chinese and Japanese researchers.

Co-hosted by five organizations, including the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Ishikawa Japan-China Friendship Association, the exhibition is designed to capture the history and civilization of China's western region, and draw people's attention to the vast area.

Xixia (1038-1227), located on the eastern end of the ancient Silk Road, was a feudal kingdom established by the Tangut ethnic group. Its territory largely overlapped today's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China.

Its characters, created in the 11th century based on the traditional Chinese characters, became a dead language with the downfall of the kingdom and Tangut. But its civilization came to light again when discovered by the Russians in the 20th century. The calligraphy of the Xixia characters has also been treasured by Chinese and Japanese calligraphy lovers.

The exhibition will move to Ningxia from July 30 to August 5.

(People's Daily 07/23/2001)