136 artifacts from Cambodia on display in Shanxi
An exhibition showcasing 136 cultural relics from the National Museum of Cambodia opened at the Shanxi Museum on June 5, offering the most extensive display of Cambodian cultural heritage the province has seen.
Angkor: Millennium Treasures of Ancient Khmer features Buddhist statues, architectural components, ceramics, and reliefs tracing the development of the Khmer civilization from its early period through its peak. The vast majority of the exhibits are on display in China for the first time, and many have never left Cambodia before.
The scale of the exhibition reflects months of behind-the-scenes work. To bring the collection to Shanxi, the museum's curatorial team spent five months negotiating with Cambodian counterparts and coordinating the transportation and customs clearance of the relics. Some 30 tons of artifacts arrived at Nanjing Lukou Airport on May 24, before being transferred to Shanxi.
Cultural exchanges between China and Cambodia date back approximately two millennia. Cambodia was an important hub of the Maritime Silk Road, and at the height of the Khmer Empire — which flourished from the 9th to the 15th century — it produced the Angkor civilization, whose architectural and sculptural legacy endures to this day. The Angkor Archaeological Park gained wider international attention in the 19th century and was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in 1992. China has been among the earliest contributors to international efforts to protect and restore the site.
LY Vanna, state secretary of Cambodia's Ministry of Culture and Arts, said the exhibition represents both a concentrated display of Cambodia's historical and cultural heritage and a reflection of the two countries' long-standing friendship and cultural cooperation.
Yu Zhenlong, deputy director of the Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau, said the province hopes to use the exhibition as a basis for deeper cooperation with Cambodia in cultural relics protection, art research, and talent cultivation.
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