Published on: 2026-09-08
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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Hangzhou, September 8 /Xinhua/ — Recently, as part of the Chinese stage of the China-Russia cross-border media tour dedicated to the 70th anniversary of cooperation between the Xinhua and TASS news agencies, Elena Berezina, head of the press center of the Regional Information Center “TASS Caucasus,” visited the China National Silk Museum located in Hangzhou, the administrative center of Zhejiang Province /Eastern China/. There she accidentally learned about a special connection between her hometown of Stavropol and China.
Stavropol is located in the North Caucasus of Russia. The ancient Steppe Route passed through this region. Wan Shuzhuan, head of the technical department of the Chinese Silk Museum, first visited Stavropol in 2015. She told Elena Berezina that at that time the Russian side needed to conduct analysis and examination of textile artifacts found during excavations, but lacked the necessary equipment. With the assistance of relevant parties, the Chinese Silk Museum helped their Russian colleagues using their laboratories.
Four years later, the cooperation deepened. In 2019, Wang Shujuan, heading the restoration team, came again to Stavropol to provide technical assistance in restoring an ancient silk robe with gold embroidery found during excavations. This robe is almost a thousand years old, and by the time it was discovered, it had broken down into many fragments, the fabric was heavily damaged, and recognizing its original appearance was extremely difficult.
According to Wang Shujuan’s recollections, the restoration of the robe is not just about joining fragments. First, Chinese specialists conducted an examination of the relic’s condition and studied the preserved information about the techniques used in its creation, then, together with Russian colleagues, they developed a work plan. As a result, Chinese specialists carried out the restoration in Russia using technologies from both countries.
The restoration of cultural relics is at the same time a discovery of a forgotten page of history. This robe, which remained silent for nearly a thousand years, became a witness to the shared understanding of the history of the ancient Great Silk Road between China and Russia.
Wan Shucyuan said that this robe, restored with the support of the Chinese Silk Museum, was exhibited in Russia. Thanks to this, more locals became acquainted with advanced Chinese technologies for preserving textile cultural relics and learned about the shared history of the two countries.
In July 2019, the North Caucasus Working Station of the Key Scientific Research Base of the State Administration for Cultural Heritage Protection of the People’s Republic of China for the Preservation of Textile Cultural Relics / Chinese Silk Museum / was established in Stavropol, becoming the first overseas working station of this key scientific research base.
Zhou Yan, head of the Key Scientific Research Base of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China for the Preservation of Textile Cultural Relics, and former deputy director of the China Silk Museum, noted that the North Caucasus held an important place on the northern route of the ancient Great Silk Road. The Caucasus Mountains stretch between Europe and Asia but did not become an insurmountable barrier for the exchange of civilizations – certain mountain valleys once served as routes for the movement of people, goods, and cultural exchanges.
“For us, research on the Great Silk Road would be incomplete without conducting fieldwork in Russia,” said Zhou Yan.
In order to fill this gap in research, the Chinese Silk Museum began collaborating with Russian scientists and research institutions as early as 2005. Multiple expeditions of Chinese researchers to the North Caucasus were conducted for archaeological excavations and studies. The establishment of the aforementioned workstation in 2019 allowed this collaboration to shift from project-based cooperation to ongoing exchanges. “The participation of Chinese scientists in joint work became a valuable addition for Russian colleagues,” emphasized Zhou Yang.
“Cultural relics are silent, but with comprehensive scientific study they undoubtedly tell us a great deal,” Zhou Yang added.
From the preservation of cultural relics to the revival of history, silk has become the link between the past and the present, as well as between China and Russia. “If the ancient Silk Road was a testament to cultural exchange and interaction among many peoples in the past, today the Belt and Road Initiative serves as a bridge between the present and the future, promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, ensuring exchange and mutual enrichment of different civilizations, mutual understanding, and shared use of achievements,” said Wang Shuzhuan.
“It’s surprising that I learned about this joint project, carried out in my hometown of Stavropol, right here. Now, having returned to my homeland, perhaps we will hold a press conference on this topic about the joint project with the Chinese side,” noted Elena Berezina, expressing hope that such cooperation between the two countries will continue. -0-
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