At the beginning of 2024, the Palace Museum, together with the Iranian National Museum, the Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, the Saudi Arabian Elora Royal Commission and other institutions, will launch the "Historical Encounter - China and Western Asia Ancient Civilization Exchange Exhibition", "Bright Persia - Iranian Cultural Relics essence Exhibition" and "Elora - Miracle Oasis Exhibition of the Arabian Peninsula" at the Meridian Gate Exhibition Hall of the Palace Museum. The three major exhibitions connect the important civilizations on the Silk Road with exquisite cultural relics, presenting the long and splendid history and culture of China and West Asia, and showcasing the splendid chapter of exchange and mutual learning among different civilizations. The historical encounter between China and West Asia, located at the eastern and western ends of the Asian continent, has had exchanges and interactions since prehistoric times. China and ancient civilizations in West Asia jointly created the glory of the Silk Road and drove the common prosperity of civilizations in Asia and Europe. The "Encounter of History - Exhibition of Ancient Civilization Exchange between China and West Asia" includes two units: "East West Splendor" and "Connecting the Great Road". The exhibits are based on the collections of the Palace Museum, collecting collections and picture materials from 10 domestic and foreign archaeological and cultural institutions, including Datong Museum, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute, Beijing Institute of Fashion Ethnic Costume Museum, Dongguan Museum, Hepu County Museum, Famen Temple Museum, Zhengzhou Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute, South Vietnam King Museum, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum, and Iran National Museum, The total number is 266 pieces (sets). At the beginning of the exhibition, a set of ancient books tells the story of China's exchanges and exchanges with West Asia. The Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Dawan recorded the historical process of the Han Dynasty opening up land transportation between China and the Western Regions; The Book of Han, Biography of the Western Regions, records the history and geographical overview of foreign civilizations known to the Chinese authorities during the Han Dynasty, as well as their exchanges with China; The Tang Dynasty's "Tongdian" included fragments of Du Huan's "Jingxingji", and the original book has been lost, making it one of the earliest Chinese historical materials to record the situation of the Arab Empire; The New Book of Tang, written by Ouyang Xiu and others during the Northern Song Dynasty, preserved the sea routes recorded by the Tang people from Guangzhou to the major food consuming countries in West Asia through South Asia; The "Zheng He Navigation Map" included in the "Wubei Chronicles" of the Ming Dynasty is accompanied by illustrations, recording the route of Zheng He's fleet departing from Nanjing and passing through West Asia to the east coast of Africa. It is the earliest vast sea navigation map in the world. There are also records about China in some ancient books and documents in West Asia. The History Collection, written in Persian script, is a world history work published by the Ili Khanate over 700 years ago, which vividly records a brief history of China. This book has been translated into numerous versions, including Arabic, Russian, and Chinese. "Chinese civilization has always been based on agriculture. The introduction of agricultural and pastoral products and handicrafts from West Asia to China has promoted the development of Chinese civilization," said Ji Luoyuan, Deputy Research Librarian of the Artifacts Department of the Palace Museum. About 4000 years ago, wheat was introduced to China from West Asia and gradually promoted in northern regions, forming the pattern of "southern rice and northern wheat" in Chinese agriculture along with rice originating from China. At around the same time, livestock such as sheep, yellow cattle, and horses from West Asia and Central Asia entered the Central Plains through Xinjiang and the Hexi Corridor. Species such as rice and dogs originally from China also spread westward, integrating into the local natural ecology and agricultural and animal husbandry production systems. This jade and grape branch with red floral patterns is originally preserved in the Qing Dynasty