Luoyang: China-Uzbekistan exhibition of ancient general's life opened

Chinese-Uzbek exhibition "Return to Bukhara," dedicated to archaeological findings from a tomb of a general living in the era of China's Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907), opened in Tashkent on Thursday.

In recent years, Chinese-Uzbek relations have been raised to a new level, especially in culture, Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jiang Yan said at the opening ceremony.

A vivid confirmation of this is the exhibition, Jiang said. "You will see a magnificent picture of close cultural and trade relations between China and Uzbekistan along the ancient Silk Road during the Tang Dynasty."

Today, with the help of Chinese archaeologists, General An Pu returns to his historic homeland and thus continues his legend in the Silk Road, Jiang added. "This exhibition will not only allow us to get acquainted with that period of history, but also serve to strengthen mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries."

Based on research on the epitaph and a large number of burial objects, archaeologists said An Pu came from the state of An in Central Asia, current Bukhara area.

"Today, thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, the great Silk Road is being revived, which has not only economic but also cultural significance," said Yu Jie, director of Luoyang Administration of Cultural Heritage.

Abdulakhat Khojaev, a well-known Uzbek Sinologist, believes that this exhibition is of great importance in studying the history of Uzbek people, as well as in further developing friendship and cooperation between Uzbekistan and China.

The exhibition is organized jointly by the museum of Luoyang, a city in China's central province of Henan, and will last until Sept. 20.