Palace Museum exhibitions show civilizations don't necessarily clash

One usually doesn't visit a museum to learn about new global realities. But exhibitions of historical relics at the Palace Museum (Forbidden City) in Beijing are teaching cogent lessons about contemporary, real-world developments. The exhibitions are being held only because of dramatically changing geopolitical and economic relationships.

One recent exhibition titled, "Historic Encounters: Interaction between China and West Asia", was one of the latest subjects of a report in Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post. In the exhibition are displayed hundreds of ancient Saudi Arabian and Iranian artifacts, some of which illustrate reciprocal cultural influence in early China-Middle East trade along the ancient Silk Road.

Another exhibition at the Palace Museum, called "The Glory of Ancient Persia", explores the rich cultural history of Iran. Yet another, titled "AlUla, Wonder of Arabia", displays artifacts from an ancient oasis city in the Medina province of Saudi Arabia.