2,000 years ago, civilizations in Asia, Europe and Africa were connected by a maritime route , which lead to politics, trade, and culture exchanges among these three continents. World civilizations once merged and developed due to the “Maritime Silk Road”. In October 2013, President of China, Xi Jinping, made a significant proposals to jointly build the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” when he visited ASEAN. Since then, this ancient network of trade routes has been given remarkable meaning for a new era.
Many important ports in China’s coastal history, such as Quanzhou, Fuzhou, and Guangzhou, have rich cultural heritage ,and have witnessed the valuable contribution of “Marine Silk Road” . Quanzhou, a coastal city in Fujian Province, is the starting point of “Maritime Silk Road” recognized by UNESCO. Walking through Quanzhou today, you’ll find Guan Di Temple next to Ashab Mosque, and the former residence of Prince Ceylon close to Hindu Temples. You can also see the ruins of Manichae Temples, Christ Church and Jewish Synagogue. Different cultural characteristics are shown in the same place, which made Quanzhou a culturally diverse city and “the largest port in the East” at that time.
China Cultural Centre and China National Tourist Office in Sydney has hosted a series of “Visiting China Online” events, and jointly launched “Travel Along Maritime Silk Road In Southeast China” with Department of Culture and Tourism of Fujian Province, Guangdong Province, Hainan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. By releasing 5 tourism promotional videos， this exhibition shows the charming marine culture and landscape of the coastal cities in China’s “Maritime Silk Road”, and brings awareness to the community of Australia about the glamours of the cities along “Maritime Silk Road”.
