Cultural Exchange along the Silk Road: Masterpieces of the Tubo Period (7th -9th Century)

Cultural Exchange along the Silk Road: Masterpieces of the Tubo Period (7th - 9th Century)
丝绸之路上的文化交流——吐蕃时期艺术珍品展

Dates: July 3 - Oct 22,2019
Location: Dunhuang Cave Cultural Asset Reservation Research and Exhibition Center, Dunhuang, Gansu province
Organized by: Dunhuang Academy and Pritzker Art Collaborative

More than 130 Tubo period masterpieces, most of which are key items in collections of domestic cultural institutions and overseas museums, some on display for the first time, were selected to trace the origins of Tubo art and to examine its contribution to cultural integration along the Silk Road.

Traditionally, studies of Silk Road civilization have centered on the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Middle Asia, Persia, and the Mediterranean Sea. Little space has been granted to the ancient Tubo Kingdom on the snowy Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the exhibition realm.

The ground-breaking exhibition told a story of how the Tubo culture absorbed nearby cultures and established itself on the world stage: a heritage created by constant cultural exchange and integration from the 7th to the 9th century.

The exhibition was comprised of seven sections: the Pre-history Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Tubo Kingdom Ascending the Historical Stage, Silk and Gold Ornament, Noblemen's Feast, Noblemen's Hunting, and Buddhism in Tubo (present-day Tibet). Like a documentary, it revealed the influence of cultural exchange in the Silk Road in every aspect of the life of the Tubo noble class. The gold masks, beads, and silk textiles showcased in the exhibition speak of Tubo's integration of culture from the Sassanian Empire (224-651) , Middle Asia, and the Central Plain, from all of which Tubo-style art is derived.