CHINESE ART EXHIBITION "SILK ROAD" OPENS IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Sept 9 (Hina) - "The Silk Road", the big exhibition of Chinese art, opened in Zagreb on Sunday evening, under the auspices of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman. The exhibits belong to the zero, or first, category of the Chinese national heritage, and some exhibits are shown outside of China for the first time. The exhibit was opened by Tudjman's special envoy Croatian Culture Minister Bozo Biskupic, who specially greeted the Chinese delegation and representatives of the Croatian cultural and public life who were present. "This is the third exhibition of Chinese art here and we consider it the most important so far, because some exhibits are presented to the world for the first time in our country", Biskupic said. Deputy Chinese Culture Minister Ai Quing Chun thanked the Croatian government and particularly the Culture Ministry and all sponsors who made it possible for this great exhibition to be presented in Croatia's capital. "The Silk Road" includes 159 exhibits of applied arts from museums of the Chinese provinces of Gansu and Ningxi. The majority of the exhibits are archeological finds from 4,000 years B.C. to the late Nuan dynasty, between the 13th and 14th centuries, and the last, King dynasty, from the 17th to the beginning of the 20th century. The name of the exhibition comes after one of the most important trade roads in history, the Silk Road, along which caravans between Europe and Asia transported not only a variety of goods, but also different cultures and civilizations, causing them to merge. The "Silk Road" exhibits include ceramics, bronze rite containers, weapons of various and unusual shapes, valuables, gold jewelry, models of buildings, bronze and wooden sculptures, images of the horse (the main protection sign of trade and travelling), money and tomb sculptures. Along high Chinese officials, present at the opening were Croatian vice-premier Ivica Kostovic, Education and Sports Minister Ljilja Vokic, high state officials, parliament representatives, members of the Zagreb City Administration and several hundreds cultural and public employees. (hina) ha jn 091103 MET sep 96