An exhibition titled Verdant Miles: The Steppe Silk Road in the 10th to 12th Century. [Photo/Inner Mongolia Daily]

The Silk Road Week 2025 opened on July 11 at the China National Silk Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, under the theme "Silk Ties the Ages, Roads Network the World".

This year's event highlights North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region as the guest province and Brazil as the guest country.

As one of the event's major highlights, an exhibition titled Verdant Miles: The Steppe Silk Road in the 10th to 12th Century also opened on the first day.

Featuring 181 cultural relics from six institutions in Inner Mongolia, the exhibition showcases the region's rich archaeological finds – such as artifacts unearthed from the site of the Upper Capital of Liao Dynasty (916-1125) – and explores the cultural exchanges and integration along the ancient Grassland Silk Road, offering a vivid exploration of China's pluralistic civilization.

That evening, the "Inner Mongolia Night" gala and awards ceremony for the Silk Road Digital Museum campaign further captivated audiences.

Gai Zhiyong, deputy director of the Inner Mongolia Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, shared stories behind four exquisite artifacts, revealing the deep intercultural dialogues that once took place on the grasslands. Performances such as the horsehead fiddle ensemble Haimuri and the songs Tianbian and Vast Grassland brought the cultural spirit of northern China to life.

"We hope this opportunity will help showcase Inner Mongolia's cultural treasures to the world and promote greater awareness of the region's rich heritage," Gai said.

Throughout the Silk Road Week, Inner Mongolia will continue to engage audiences through various activities. Cultural experts from the region will participate in forums such as Guardians of Silk Road Civilization: Museums and Cultural Heritage Dialogue. A special exhibition area at the China National Silk Museum will feature creative cultural products from Inner Mongolian museums.