Largest Exhibition of Gandharan Art in China Opens in Palace Museum, 80 percent of Artifacts from Pakistan

On March 15, an exhibition featuring Gandhara Heritage along the Silk Road opened to the public in the Palace Museum's Wenhua Hall under the auspices of the Palace Museum and the Department of Archaeology and Museums of the National Heritage and Culture Division of Pakistan.

The Gandhara exhibition is the largest of its kind in China to date. It seeks to promote mutual understanding between the two countries and introduce Chinese visitors to the profoundness and importance of Gandharan culture.

A total of 203 (sets of) cultural artifacts from museums in Pakistan and the Palace Museum are on display. Among them, 173 artifacts have been provided by seven Pakistani museums: the National Museum of Pakistan, Taxila Museum, Peshawar Museum, Islamabad Museum, Dir Museum, Swat Museum, and Hund Museum. Most of the exhibits were recovered during archaeological excavations, including early-stage Gandharan stone carvings, which Chinese visitors may already be familiar with, and gold and silver objects and jewelry. The exhibition showcases the diverse forms and unique charm of Gandharan art. The 30 exhibits from the Palace Museum came mainly from western Tibet of China, and entered China from the ancient Gandhara region. The relics clearly show the long history of cultural and artistic exchanges between China and Pakistan.

The exhibition consisting of three parts showcases the aesthetic charm and influence of Gandharan culture through the perspective of the development of the ancient Gandharan civilization.

The exhibition at the Palace Museum's Wenhua Hall will last until June 15, 2023. Visitors with a ticket to the Palace Museum can visit the exhibition for free. Real-name reservations for the exhibition can be made through the Palace Museum's WeChat mini program.

(Source: The Beijing News)