SHARJAH, 11th November, 2026 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of Sharjah Museums Authority, inaugurated the exhibition “Entwined Legacies: Dialogue and Interaction between Chinese and Islamic Civilisations” on Wednesday morning at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation.
The exhibition represents Shanghai Museum’s first organised exhibition in the Gulf region and reflects a cultural collaboration between Sharjah Museums Authority and Shanghai Museum.
Present at the opening ceremony were Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan bin Khalid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations; Sheikha Nawar bint Ahmed Al Qasimi, Director of Sharjah Art Foundation; Zeng Jixin, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United Arab Emirates; Ou Boqian, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai and the Northern Emirates; Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority; Dr Abdulaziz Abdulrahman Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage; Maissa Saif Alsuwaidi, Director General of Sharjah Museums Authority, and Chen Jie, Deputy Director of Shanghai Museum, alongside several heads and directors of local government departments in Sharjah, as well as art and culture enthusiasts.
The opening ceremony began with a speech by Entisar Al Obeidli, Curator of Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation, followed by a speech by Chen Jie, Deputy Director of Shanghai Museum, representing the Chinese side.
H.H. Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi toured the exhibition galleries, which feature 124 artefacts, including 87 from Shanghai Museum and 37 from Sharjah Museums Authority collections. The latter include collections from the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation, Hisn Khorfakkan and Bait Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamad Al Qasimi.
The artefacts highlight the historical connections and cultural and civilisational exchange between China and the Islamic world, which date back to the seventh century, when the overland and maritime Silk Roads connected the two sides. These routes facilitated the movement of goods, knowledge, technologies and artistic influences, contributing to the development of the arts and material culture of both civilisations.
During the tour, H.H. viewed the exhibition’s four sections, which explore the movement of travellers and goods along the Silk Roads, the exchange of craftsmanship and design, shared influences in social and intellectual life, and the trade and diplomacy that connected the two civilisations.
H.H. also viewed some of the exhibition’s highlights, including a polychrome-glazed earthenware figure of a woman riding a horse from the Tang dynasty, a Jingdezhen dish bearing an Arabic inscription from the Zhengde reign of the Ming dynasty, and a faceted blue-and-white Jingdezhen candlestick decorated with a floral design, dating to the Yongle and Xuande reigns of the Ming dynasty.
Other collections also explore connections in music, dance, astronomy, mathematics and literature, revealing moments in a long relationship and demonstrating how art records contact and mutual influence between civilisations.
The exhibition is on view at Al Majarrah Gallery for Temporary Exhibitions at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation until 9 May 2027.
The exhibition appeals to families, students, researchers and visitors interested in history and the arts, inviting them to explore the collections as evidence of dialogue between communities rather than isolated artefacts. This helps introduce new generations to the shared history that connects different cultures and deepen their understanding of the longstanding civilisational ties between China and the Islamic world.
As part of the cultural programme, a panel discussion titled “Entwined Legacies: Dialogue and Interaction between Chinese and Islamic Civilisations” will be held on 11 November 2026, from 5:00 to 5:45 pm, at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation. The session will feature Dr. Chen Jie, Deputy Head and Curator of the Ceramics Department at Shanghai Museum, and Ms. Entisar Al Obeidli, Curator of Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation. The session will be conducted in English.
Alongside the panel discussion, Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation is organising a series of museum programmes accompanying the exhibition, offering visitors the opportunity to engage with its themes and explore aspects of the shared cultural heritage of Chinese and Islamic civilisations.