An exhibition featuring the splendors of Dunhuang civilization on the ancient Silk Road opened in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province on Tuesday, with hundreds of artifacts and national treasures on display.

Entitled "Convergence of Civilizations: Dunhuang on the Silk Road," the exhibition is held at China National Silk Museum. It is divided into four main sections: the politics and economy of ancient Dunhuang, the society and daily life of ancient Dunhuang, the millennium-long connection between Dunhuang and Zhejiang, and the Dunhuang caves and mural art.

With a long history and splendid cultural heritage, Dunhuang is located at a religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road. It has been the route's transport hub since the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) and the gateway to the western regions, where the bustle of itinerant emissaries and merchants competed.

Taking a wide range of historical relics related to Dunhuang as the carrier, the exhibition aims to present the exchanges and mutual learning between eastern and western civilizations along the Silk Road.

More than 30 national first-class cultural relics are exhibited, most of which are displayed in Zhejiang for the first time.

One of the highlights is the reconstructed scene of Cave 285, also known as the "Hall of the Gods," from the world renowned Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. This cave primarily focuses on Buddhism but also incorporates elements of Taoism, Hinduism, Brahmanism and ancient Greek mythology. It serves as a testament to the culmination of these diverse cultures.

"Dunhuang is the place where the four civilizations meet, so in this cave you can see the six religions, and the figures of ancient Chinese myths and legends can also be seen in this cave. What is more valuable is that it is the first cave with detailed chronology in Mogao Grottoes, which is of great historical significance to the study of all the caves in Dunhuang," said Ji Xiaofen, curator of China National Silk Museum.

This exhibition is part of the 2023 Silk Road Week under the theme of "The Silk Roads: Long Roads and Mutual Goals," and will last until August 22.