The Opening Ceremony of “The Distant Memory——Exhibition of Ningxia Rock Art” Successfully Held at Confucius Institute at Bogazici University

At 6:00 on November 19th, 2012, the opening ceremony of “The Distant Memory——Exhibition of Ningxia Rock Art” was held at Confucius Institute at Bogazici University(CIBU). This Exhibition was organized by Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China, People’s Government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and the Chinese Embassy in Turkey and it was sponsored by CIBU, Department of Culture of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and Ningxia Rock Art Research Institute. Director Assistant Xiao Xiaoyong from Foreign Affairs Bureau of Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China, Deputy Director Xu Chen from Department of Culture of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Prof.Esenbel, Turkish Director of CIBU made speeches at the opening ceremony and jointly cut the ribbon. The Chinese Director of CIBU Dr. Miao Fuguang hosted the opening ceremony. The delegation from Ningxia Rock Art Research Institute, archeologists from Turkey, staff at CIBU, and teachers and students from Fatih University and Okan University attended the opening ceremony and visited the Exhibition. CCTV and Xinhua News Agency reported the Exhibition.

Photo 1: The opening ceremony of the Exhibition The Exhibition has two parts——the lecture on Ningxia rock art and the exhibition of rock art photos and rubbings. At 5:00 p.m. on November 19th, the lecture on Ningxia rock art was held at CIBU. Director Qiao Hua from Ningxia Rock Art Research Institute gave a lecture on the content, style and artistic feature of Ningxia rock art. Several Turkish archeologists, historians and archeology majors attended the lecture. After the lecture, Director Qiao Hua donated about ten pieces of rubbings to CIBU. Later, she accompanied the audience to see the pictures and rubbings and explained them in detail.

Photo 2: Director Qiao Hua made the speech This rock art exhibition is the first exhibition of this kind in Turkey. Besides, rock painting was also found in Turkey. This Exhibition is a good opportunity for Sino-Turkey communication on rock art and archeology, which paves road for cooperation in archeology. Meanwhile, the exhibition is a good chance for increasing Sino-Turkey cultural communication.

Photo 3: CIBU staff at the opening ceremony Reported by volunteer Chinese teacher Han Yinhua