Intercultural Dialogue: The Central Function of the Ancient Silk Road

Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO: The foremost function of the ancient Silk Road, which played a pivotal role in the development of civilizations, should be understood as promoting and expanding culture and fostering dialogue among cultures, as mutual understanding and respect for the subcultures and cultures of different nations facilitated and promoted economic relations.

At the opening ceremony of “Endless Clouds of the Silk Road”, held on 12 October 2024 at the Malek National Library and Museum, an exhibition featuring joint collections from the Shanghai Museum of Art Collections and the Malek National Library and Museum was inaugurated. The exhibition presented manuscripts, historical coins, travelogues, paintings and calligraphic works dating from the 19th century, as well as a collection of design works.

The opening ceremony was attended by Hassan Fartousi, Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO; Abdolmahdi Mostakin, Director of the Culture Department of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO; Zong Pei Wu, Ambassador of China to Iran; Hu Mochin, Director of the Shanghai Museum of Art Collections; Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Jalal Hosseini, Head of the Organization of Museums, Libraries and the Documentation Centre of Astan Quds Razavi; Mohammad Khorasani-Zadeh, Director General of Visual Arts; Hadi Mirzaei, Director General of Museums; Jabraeil Nokandeh, Director of the National Museum of Iran; Bijan Moghadam, Director of the Niavaran Palace Museum; Ali Bardbar, Chief Executive Officer of the Bardbar Foundation and art collector; artists; cultural officials of Astan Quds Razavi; and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ceremony was held on Saturday, 12 October, at the Malek National Library and Museum in cooperation with the Bardbar Foundation.

At the opening ceremony, Hassan Fartousi, Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO, referring to the fact that in 2017 UNESCO included Jundishapur University, one of the world’s oldest universities with a history of more than 1,750 years, in its calendar of events and commemorations, stated: “The key point in this regard is the presence of scholars and students from ancient civilizations at this historic Iranian university. Scholars and students from China, India, Greece, Rome and Egypt played a significant role in advancing and disseminating knowledge and thereby contributed greatly to the development of world civilization.”

He continued: “The ancient and historic Silk Road likewise played a highly influential role in the economic and cultural development of ancient societies. In fact, the gradual flourishing of human civilizations took shape through intercultural exchange and trade, and over the centuries this exchange travelled in a fluid and generative manner, like endless clouds, from East to West and from West to East.”

Development of Economic Relations as a Means of Encountering Cultural Worldviews

Fartousi emphasized: “Through the development of economic relations, nations became acquainted with one another’s ways of life and cultural worldviews, and on this basis developed mutual understanding and a deeper appreciation of one another. It is remarkable that more than 650 years ago, the Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, while visiting the city of Hangzhou, which was then known as Xingzhu, discovered while travelling by boat that Chinese sailors were reciting poems by the Shirazi poet Saadi as they rowed along the river. He was able to record only one verse in his travelogue:

Since I gave my heart to your love, I have fallen into the sea of thought;
When you stand in prayer, it seems as though I stand before the mihrab.

The Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO further stated: “The fact that Chinese sailors would recite from memory, in Persian, verses by an Iranian poet in order to strengthen their spirits and enliven both body and soul was itself a source of amazement for Ibn Battuta. This is a manifestation of culture and intercultural exchange.”

Ancient Iranian Literature as an Expression of Intercultural Relations between the Two Ancient Civilizations of Iran and China

Continuing his remarks, Fartousi said: “The great Saadi, for his part, refers to China more than 26 times in his enduring works, the Golestan and Bustan, and uses more than 50 words and expressions associated with China, including the idol of China, the Chinese idol, the Chinese beauty, Chinese gallery, Chinese silk, Chinese musk, the Chinese gazelle, Chinese brocade, Chinese porcelain, Chinese painters, the gallery of China and others. These references themselves demonstrate the depth of friendship and valuable intercultural relations between two of the world’s ancient civilizations. Today, in this beautiful exhibition, we see manifestations of the artistic traditions of these two magnificent civilizations, just as they have repeatedly appeared in the classical literature of Iran, on both sides of the ancient Silk Road.”

Intercultural Dialogue as the Foremost Function of the Ancient Silk Road

He identified the foremost function of the ancient Silk Road, which played a pivotal role in the development of civilizations, as promoting and expanding culture and fostering dialogue among cultures, stating: “Mutual understanding and respect for the subcultures and cultures of different nations facilitated and promoted economic relations.”

The Soft Power of Culture as a Foundation for the Expansion of Economic Needs

Fartousi noted: “As friendship and cultural understanding expanded, the scope of economic relations likewise grew and became more extensive. From this perspective, the historical function of the Silk Road is of particular importance, as the soft power of culture provided the foundation for the expansion of the material and infrastructural needs of the economy.”

At the conclusion of his remarks, the Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO expressed his appreciation for the valuable joint initiative of the Embassy of China in Tehran, the Director of the Shanghai Museum of Art Collections and the Malek National Library and Museum.

Seek Knowledge Even If It Is in China

In the continuation of the ceremony, Amir Khorakian, Chief Executive Officer of the Malek National Library and Museum, also emphasized: “Countries with rich cultures and cultural heritage, such as Iran and China, have a proud and influential history. In the eyes of the ancient Iranians, China was the farthest point in the world and reaching it involved a long and difficult journey. As the Prophet of Islam is reported to have said: ‘Seek knowledge even if it is in China.’ Yet this difficult journey did not prevent communication between Iranians and Chinese, and this friendship has endured for several thousand years.”

Joint Art Exhibitions as an Effective Means of Cultural Interaction between Countries

Hu Mochin, Director of the Shanghai Museum of Art Collections, also spoke about the importance of international relations between the two countries: “The Shanghai Museum seeks to establish connections with the countries along the Silk Road. Therefore, through cooperation between the Embassy and Iranian officials, we were able to present our works in an exhibition entitled ‘Endless Clouds of the Silk Road’ at the Malek National Library and Museum, thereby introducing our artistic heritage.”

He continued: “I believe this is a very positive development for the two countries and for the expansion of their relations. We hope these exhibitions will have a positive impact on relations between the two countries and contribute to revealing previously untold aspects of the centuries-old interactions along the Silk Road, thereby deepening our understanding of this historic route.”

Ali Bardbar, Chief Executive Officer of the Bardbar Foundation and art collector, also said: “The Bardbar Foundation seeks to facilitate international exchanges, and we hope to succeed in this endeavor.”

The Convergence of Iranian and Chinese Civilizations over Time

At the opening ceremony, Zong Pei Wu, Ambassador of China to Iran, spoke about the exhibition: “This exhibition is both an artistic celebration and an important achievement in international exchange. We thank everyone who contributed to organizing this exhibition. China and Iran, two of the world’s oldest civilizations, have been connected since ancient times through the Silk Road, and two thousand years ago an envoy from China visited Iran.”

He stated: “Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, cooperation between the two countries has also deepened. During the visit of the President of China to Iran, strategic relations helped facilitate this historical connection. Today’s exhibition is likewise a testament to the deepening of these relations. These works not only reflect the culture of the Silk Road but also showcase the cultural identities of the two countries. Through these works, we can observe the close ties between the two countries and perceive the convergence of their civilizations over time; this development can contribute to the advancement of global civilization.”

At the end of the ceremony, two valuable works were presented: a Divan-e Kolliyat of Saadi, presented by the Malek National Library and Museum to Zong Pei Wu, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, and a valuable vase presented by the Chinese Ambassador to Amir Khorakian.

The “Endless Clouds of the Silk Road” exhibition features 65 works, including historical and contemporary collections and works from the treasury of the Malek National Library and Museum, such as historical coins, travelogues, a 500-year-old Chinese scroll by a Chinese calligrapher, and other works. The exhibition will remain open until 10 November 2024, every day except public holidays, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.