
Silk Roads
British Museum
26 September 2024 – 23 February 2025
絲綢之路,從小學起就學過,知道它蜿蜒曲折,是中西方交流貿易的重要通道。但是絲綢之路到底延伸到哪裡?絲綢之路連接了哪些地方,又帶來了多大的影響?大英博物館特展《八方絲路:萬里共芳華》一一為觀眾呈現了出來。
The Silk Road is something we have learned about since primary school—its winding, meandering path, and its role as an important route for trade and cultural exchange between East and West. But where exactly does the Silk Road extend? What places does it connect, and how great is its impact? The special exhibition at the British Museum, “Silk Roads: Bringing Together Beauty Across a Thousand Miles” presents all of this to the audience in detail.

Installation shot ©ART.ZIP
展名的巧思 About the Title
絲綢之路一詞,初次被使用是在19世紀,直到20世紀,才廣泛流行起來。通常來說,絲綢之路的英文是「silk road」,為單數,但是此次特展的的英文名「Silk Roads」是複數。在主題上首先強調了絲綢之路並不是一條路,而是多條路的組合。與之對應的,中文展名為「八方絲路」,「八方」指的是東、西、南、北、東南、西南、西北、東北八個方向,通常泛指各方向,我們常見的表達就有「八方來財」「八方雲集」等。而中文展名也通過「八方」來展現了絲綢之路是多條路形成的縱橫連接的網絡。
以前的史料研究,絲綢之路通常從長安開始一直向西、西南延伸,是鏈接亞洲和歐洲的重要貿易通道。而此次展覽,絲綢之路向東延伸至日本,日本派遣到大唐的遣唐使更是可以說明在文化上的學習;向西延伸至愛爾蘭,從北極到馬達加斯加,橫跨亞洲、非洲和歐洲。在展牆上的電子屏幕展示,不是正規的長方形,而是由多條方向各異的線條分割出來的不規則的四邊形,所展現的正是「八方絲路」的所形成的交縱網絡。
The term “Silk Road” was first used in the 19th century, but it wasn’t until the 20th century that it became widely popular. Typically, the English translation of the “絲綢之路” is “Silk Road,” in singular form. However, the title of this special exhibition uses the plural form, “Silk Roads.” This plural emphasizes that the Silk Road was not just one single route, but rather a collection of many routes. Correspondingly, the Chinese exhibition title “八方絲路” (Silk Roads from All Directions) incorporates the concept of “八方” (eight directions), which refers to the east, west, south, north, southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast—essentially signifying all directions. This is often used in common expressions like “八方來財” (wealth coming from all directions) and “八方雲集” (people gathering from all directions). In the exhibition title, “八方” conveys the idea that the Silk Road was a network of interconnected routes spanning in all directions.
Historically, studies on the Silk Road typically depict it as extending westward and southwestward from Chang’an (modern-day Xi’an), forming a crucial trade route linking Asia and Europe. However, this exhibition extends the Silk Road further eastward to Japan, where Japan’s missions to the Tang Dynasty demonstrate the cultural exchanges and learning that took place. Westward, the Silk Road stretched as far as Ireland, connecting regions from the Arctic to Madagascar, and spanning across Asia, Africa, and Europe. The digital displays on the exhibition walls are not in a traditional rectangular shape but are irregular quadrilaterals, divided by intersecting lines in various directions, symbolizing the intricate network of routes that made up the “Silk Roads from All Directions.”

Installation shot ©ART.ZIP
仰望歷史 Gazing at History
因為絲綢之路經過多個國家、地點,為了讓觀眾有直觀的感受,設計團隊將地名掛在了展廳頂部,在指明不同展區的展品所處的地理位置的同時,通過不同的光影效果,讓觀眾有一種仰望歷史,遨遊在歷史長河的穿越感。
除此之外,展覽還以絲綢質感的織物來對場地進行區域分隔。選取絲綢一是因為其歷史意義:絲綢不僅是絲綢之路的重要貿易品,同時也是作為稅收與貨幣的存在。自唐朝起,可以以布帛作為實物稅,到了宋朝更是有「稅絹」「身丁絹」之說。展品中有一卷來自樓蘭的古絲綢,讓觀眾可以直觀感受到歷史。二是因為絲綢可以與「絲路」之名相呼應。第三則是因為絲綢所帶來的觀感:絲綢帶來的輕盈感很好地中和、平衡了壁畫與石雕的厚重感,同時為充滿歷史感的展覽帶了些許夢幻感,有一種揭開層層歷史面紗的喜悅感。
Since the Silk Road traversed multiple countries and locations, the design team aimed to give visitors a direct and immersive experience by hanging the names of these places from the ceiling of the exhibition hall. This not only helps guide visitors through the different exhibition zones and the geographical origins of the artifacts, but also, through varied light and shadow effects, evokes a sense of “gazing up at history” and traveling through the vast currents of time.
In addition, the exhibition uses silk-textured fabrics to partition the space. The choice of silk is significant for several reasons. First, silk carries historical importance: it was not only a major trade good along the Silk Road but also functioned as a form of tax and currency. From the Tang Dynasty onward, silk fabrics could be used as a physical tax, and by the Song Dynasty, terms like “silk tax” and “body tax” were common. One of the exhibits features an ancient roll of silk from Loulan, allowing visitors to tangibly connect with history. Secondly, silk resonates with the “Silk Road” itself, reinforcing the exhibition’s theme. Lastly, silk’s visual appeal plays a key role: its lightness contrasts well with the weightiness of the murals and stone sculptures, bringing a dreamy quality to the historically rich exhibition. This creates a sense of delight, as though peeling back layers of history.
多感官的沈浸體驗 A Multi-Sensory Immersive Experience
絲綢之路上,香料是貿易、交流中很重要的一部分。而展覽也有對於香味的展示,讓觀眾可以通過嗅覺來沈浸式地跨越時空。展品中有一件唐代的「香熏球」,也稱為「被中香爐」,盛唐時期,流行於貴族階層。在中間的鉢內放置香料,點燃後香氣從鏤空處飄出,屢屢氤氳,裊裊香氣。層層疊疊的特殊設計,無論香球如何滾動,中間的香料也不會灑落。而在這件香薰球的旁邊,打開蓋子,便可以聞到千年前,香料是什麼樣的味道。
Incense were a crucial part of trade and cultural exchange along the Silk Road, and this exhibition incorporates scents to provide visitors with an immersive, time-traveling experience through their sense of smell. One of the key exhibits is a Tang Dynasty “incense burner ball,” also known as a “bedside incense burner,” which was popular among the aristocracy during the height of the Tang era. Inside the central chamber, incense were placed and lit, allowing fragrant smoke to drift out from the hollowed patterns, creating a delicate and continuous aroma. The unique layered design ensured that no matter how the incense ball rolled, the incense inside wouldn’t spill. Beside this exhibit, visitors can lift a lid to catch the scent of incense from a thousand years ago.
除了嗅覺,展覽最重要的部分就是視覺的呈現,在視覺震撼的層面有一副壁畫值得一提。這幅壁畫長約六米,是此次展覽最重要的一件展品,他是來自烏茲別克斯坦阿夫拉西阿布(撒馬爾罕)「大師廳」南壁的壁畫,也是首次在英國展出。這件展為觀眾展示了粟特人朝拜的壯觀景象,其中有遙遠國度的世界、印度與大唐的場景,傳達了粟特人將自己視為絲綢之路上不可或缺的參與者的意願。壁畫中對於動物的描摹,對於人物的刻畫,加之歲月在壁畫上留下的歷史痕跡,讓人震撼。而視頻作為展品的補充部分,加上聲音環繞,可以讓觀眾們更能夠沈浸於絲路歲月。
Beyond smell, the most significant aspect of the exhibition is its visual presentation. One of the most visually striking pieces is a mural worth noting . This six-meter-long mural is one of the exhibition’s most important artifacts, originating from the southern wall of the “Hall of Ambassadors” in Afrasiab (Samarkand, Uzbekistan), and it is being exhibited in the UK for the first time. The mural showcases the grand scene of Sogdian people paying homage, featuring distant lands and scenes from India and the Tang Dynasty, expressing the Sogdians’ vision of themselves as essential participants in the Silk Road. The mural’s detailed depictions of animals and people, along with the passage of time etched into the artwork, leave viewers in awe. Complementing this piece are video elements and surround sound, enhancing the audience’s immersion into the history and era of the Silk Road.
通過碎片的串聯展現宏大敘事 Connecting Fragments to Present a Grand Narrative
這個展覽不論是時間還是空間上的跨度都是極大的,展覽將各地的日常生活的「碎片」排列組合,將絲綢之路這個跨越時空的展現在大家面前。通過日常生活中的碎片,讓觀眾和千年前生活產生共鳴。從一個個小的點切入,展現了文化的交流與連接,讓這些宏大的歷史往事有了一個個生動的著眼點。
例如在飲食上的交融:出土於吐魯番阿斯塔那古墓群的唐朝點心,它們形狀各異,它們都是由小麥製成。小麥從漢朝時就是中國北部的主要作物,而它們又是以近似「胡餅」的製作方法。唐朝從西域來的食物,多都被冠以「胡」字,比如胡椒、胡桃、胡瓜(黃瓜)、胡麻(芝麻),而胡餅也是從西域傳到大唐而流行開來。
This exhibition spans a vast range of both time and space, presenting the Silk Road through an arrangement of “fragments” from everyday life across various regions. These fragments are carefully curated and connected to reveal the grand, cross-temporal story of the Silk Road. By showcasing pieces of daily life, the exhibition allows visitors to resonate with the lives of people from centuries ago. Starting with these small, individual details, it highlights the cultural exchange and connections, giving vivid focal points to these grand historical events.
For instance, the fusion of culinary traditions is one of the areas explored. On display are Tang Dynasty pastries excavated from the Astana Cemetery in Turpan. These pastries, varying in shapes, were all made from wheat. Wheat had already become a staple crop in northern China during the Han Dynasty, and these pastries were made using methods similar to those used for making “hú bǐng” (胡餅), a type of flatbread that originated from the Western Regions. Many foods introduced to the Tang Dynasty from the Western Regions were prefixed with “hú” (胡), meaning “foreign,” such as hú jiāo (胡椒, pepper), hú táo (胡桃, walnut), hú guā (胡瓜, cucumber), and hú má (胡麻, sesame). Hú bǐng, in particular, became popular in the Tang Dynasty after being introduced from the Western Regions.

F8 Bowl with dried grapes and a jujube, c. 651-750. Wood. H. 4.4 cm, Diam. 14.5 cm. Astana Cemetery, Turpan, China. British Museum, London, 1928,1022.106.a-b. Stein collection. Foodstuffs, mid-700s. Astana Cemetery, Turpan, China. Probably wheat flour. H. 3.4 cm, W. 9.5 cm, D. 5.8 cm (largest piece). British Museum, London, Stein collection. ©British Museum
在這些點心旁邊,擺放著一隻同樣是吐魯番阿斯塔那古墓群出土的碗,裡面裝著已經乾了的葡萄和棗,也從側面佐證了葡萄在絲綢之路上的傳播。同樣葡萄酒的酒具也隨著葡萄、葡萄酒的傳播而有了「交流」:展品中有來自意大利的用地中海玻璃製成的玻璃酒角,通體鈷藍,形似號角。
而另一隻酒杯,是產自中國唐朝的白釉陶瓷酒杯,其造型是仿制了起源於伊朗世界的「來通杯」(Rhyton)。而來通杯的造型也似號角,只不過號角的尖部變成了獸首。
Next to these pastries, there is a bowl, also excavated from the Astana Cemetery in Turpan, which contains dried grapes and dates. This serves as further evidence of the spread of grapes along the Silk Road. Similarly, the tools used for drinking wine reflect the exchange that accompanied the spread of grapes and wine. One exhibit features a glass drinking horn made from Mediterranean glass, cobalt blue in colour and shaped like a horn, originating from Italy between 550 and 600 AD.
Another wine cup on display is a white-glazed ceramic cup from the Tang Dynasty in China. Its shape mimics the “rhyton”, a type of vessel that originated in the Iranian world. The rhyton is also horn-shaped, but with the added detail of a beast’s head at the pointed end.
龐大的前期工作 Extensive Preparatory Work
《八方絲路:萬里共芳華》特展的策劃工作,始於2019年,歷時五年,展品來自於全球29家不同的機構,首次有三位來自於不同領域的策展人共同策展,她們是歐洲中世紀早期與薩頓胡館藏負責人蘇·布魯寧(Sue Brunning),巴塞爾·格雷策展人,中國繪畫、版畫和中亞館藏負責人陸於平(Luk Yu-ping)和《拜佔庭世界》策展人伊莉莎白·R~奧康奈爾(Elisabeth R. O’Connell)。她們對於自己專業領域的獨特見解,為策展帶來了更深層的融合。
展覽的研究成果也出版為圖書《絲綢之路》,裡面更涵蓋了比展覽更加深入的研究,也囊括了更加豐富的史料。其中的一件唐代黃釉蹲獅像,推測為鞏縣窯燒制的。鞏縣窯是唐代重要的瓷窯之一,在今河南省鞏縣。獅子來源於西域,史書記載,公元719年,拂菻王派吐火羅的大首靈,進貢了兩只獅子。後來,獅子的造型在唐朝的藝術逐步流行開來,在中國文化中也成為了很重要的文化符號。而這尊瓷像正說明絲綢之路所帶來的文化交融,也體現了此次展覽研究工作的細緻與深入。
The planning for the special exhibition “Silk Roads: Bringing Together Beauty Across a Thousand Miles” began in 2019 and took five years to complete. The exhibition features artifacts from 29 different institutions worldwide and, for the first time, brings together three curators from different fields. These curators are Sue Brunning, curator of early medieval Europe and the Sutton Hoo collection; Luk Yu-ping, curator of Chinese paintings, prints, and Central Asian collections at the British Museum; and Elisabeth R. O’Connell, curator of Byzantium and the Islamic World. Their unique expertise in their respective fields brought deeper layers of integration to the curation of this exhibition.
The exhibition’s research has also been published in the book The Silk Roads, which delves even deeper into the subject matter and includes a wealth of additional historical material. One of the pieces featured is a Tang Dynasty yellow-glazed ceramic figure of a squatting lion, believed to have been made in the Gongxian kilns, one of the most important ceramic kilns during the Tang Dynasty, located in present-day Gongxian, Henan Province. The lion, originally introduced from the Western Regions, became a significant symbol in Chinese culture. Historical records show that in 719 AD, the king of Fulin (Byzantium) sent two lions as tribute via the Tuhuoluo (Tocharian) chief. Over time, the image of the lion became popular in Tang Dynasty art and evolved into a key cultural icon in China. This ceramic figure exemplifies the cultural exchange facilitated by the Silk Road and demonstrates the depth and precision of the research behind this exhibition.

F.11 Figure of a lion, c. 700-50. Possibly Gongxian kilns, Henan province. Earthenware with amber glaze. H. 26 cm. Private collection by Danny Tan. ©British Museum
展覽最後的結語,既點題,又讓整個展覽的意義得到了昇華了:
THE NETWORKS OF THE SILK ROADS
FORGED CROSS-CULTURAL CONNECTIONS.
THE WAYS PEOPLE INTERACT HAVE CHANGED,
BUT THESE CONNECTIONS REMAIN.
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE PRESENT AND FUTURE.
時至今日,絲綢之路影響之深遠,其實是人與人的連接,是文化與文化的交流與碰撞。這些影響,從未停止,仍將繼續。
The exhibition’s closing statement not only encapsulates its theme but also elevates the meaning of the entire presentation:
THE NETWORKS OF THE SILK ROADS
FORGED CROSS-CULTURAL CONNECTIONS.
THE WAYS PEOPLE INTERACT HAVE CHANGED,
BUT THESE CONNECTIONS REMAIN.
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE PRESENT AND FUTURE.
Even today, the profound impact of the Silk Road lies in the connections between people and the exchange and interaction of cultures. These influences have never ceased and will continue into the future.
如果您想更詳細了解本次特展的展品和策展故事,豐富和深化您的看展體驗,可以通過大英博物館官方導覽手機應用程式收聽策展人為本次《八方絲路》特展精心製作的官方音頻導覽,導覽即日起已經正式上線。
If you’d like to explore the exhibits and curatorial stories of this special exhibition in greater detail, and further enhance your viewing experience, you can listen to the official audio guide, thoughtfully prepared by the curators, available now on the British Museum’s official guide APP.
撰文 x 姜嘯然
Text by Shoran Jiang