Silk Road
Historical network of Eurasian trade routes
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| 2025 | Co-authored 'Han Loom, Han Brocade' with Long Bo, researching the loom found at Laoguanshan and reconstructing the five-star brocade from Niya. |
| 2025 | Published 'Research on Textiles from Dunhuang: Research' with Donghua University Press, a comprehensive collection about Dunhuang silk art. |
| 2025 | Co-authored 'Illustrations of Sericulture and Weaving' with Li Jinfang, focusing on silk production, weaving, and use in French collections. |
| November 3 2024 |
International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles
8th IASSRT conference 'Textiles Trails: Legacies of the Silk Roads in Southeast Asia' to be held in Vientiane, Laos from November 3-6.
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| 2023 | Appointed as Dean of the School of Art and Archaeology at Zhejiang University, marking a significant leadership role in academic research and education. |
| 2023 | UNESCO adds the Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor to the World Heritage Site list. |
| October 15 2023 |
International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles
7th IASSRT conference 'Reconnections along the Silk Road: Restoring and Reconstructing Textiles from Afar' held at the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, UEA, Norwich, UK from October 15-18.
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| February 2023 |
Buddhas of Bamiyan
UNESCO's restoration work resumed when the Italian government approved new funding for the Bamiyan site.
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| 2022 | Published 'Research Museum: Development Path of China National Silk Museum' through Zhejiang University Press. |
| 2022 |
Buddhas of Bamiyan
An Indian film 'Ram Setu' dramatized the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, featuring a fictional archaeological discovery at the site.
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| 2022 |
Maritime Silk Road
Chirikure labels the western leg of the Maritime Silk Road trade route as the 'Maritime Ivory Route', highlighting the significant export of ivory from east Africa through overland trade routes.
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| October 20 2022 |
International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles
6th IASSRT conference 'Silk Road Textiles under the Microscope' held as an online conference with tours in Hangzhou, Beijing, Bangkok, and New York from October 20-21.
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| 2021 | Appointed as Guest Researcher of ICOM International Museums Research and Exchange Center (ICOM-IMREC) |
| 2021 | Became President of Costume and Design Museum Committee in Chinese Museums Association/ICOM-China |
| 2021 |
Buddhas of Bamiyan
After the Taliban's return to power, tourists were granted permission to visit the Bamiyan site, though UNESCO's preservation work was indefinitely suspended.
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| November 15 2021 |
International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles
5th IASSRT annual conference 'Textiles on the Silk Roads: from Medieval to Industrial Periods' held in Trento, Italy from November 15-16.
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| July 2021 |
Baghdad
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant suicide bombers killed 35 people in Baghdad.
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| April 2021 |
Baghdad
82 people died due to a hospital fire in Baghdad.
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| January 2021 |
Baghdad
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant suicide bombers killed 32 people in Baghdad.
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| 2020 | Published 'Chinese Silk on Russian Military Flags in Swedish Collection' through Zhejiang University Press. |
| 2020 | Became Member of Ethics Committee of International Council of Museums (ETHCOM) |
| June 19 2020 | The China National Silk Museum announced and began 'Silk Road Week', a commemorative event running from 19-25 June to celebrate the Silk Road's UNESCO World Heritage Site status. |
| 2019 | Became Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of Textile Conservation at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University |
| 2019 |
International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles
IASSRT and the Committee of Silk Road Museums of ICOM China proposed establishing an annual 'Silk Road Week'.
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| October 2019 |
International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles
4th IASSRT annual conference 'Textiles as a historical source' held in Kislovodsk, Russia.
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| November 2018 |
International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles
3rd IASSRT annual conference 'Silk Road Textiles: Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage' held at Korea National University of Cultural Heritage.
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| 2017 | Appointed Vice President of International Alliance of Museums of the Silk Road Board (IAMS) |
| November 2017 |
International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles
2nd IASSRT annual conference 'Dialogue with Silk between Europe and Asia: History, Technology and Art' held at Musee Gadagne in Lyon, France.
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| 2016 | Became President of International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles (IASSRT) |
| 2016 | Became Vice Chairman of International Silk Union Board (ISU) |
| October 2016 |
International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles
1st IASSRT annual conference 'Silks from the Silk Road: Origin, Transmission and Exchange' held at the China National Silk Museum in Hangzhou, China.
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| 2015 | Proposed the founding of the International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles and became its first President, establishing a significant international scholarly organization. |
| 2015 | Won the National Distinguished Cultural And Museological Book Award for 'Silks from the Silk Road: Origin, Transmission and Exchange'. |
| 2015 |
Buddhas of Bamiyan
Chinese philanthropists Janson Hu and Liyan Yu financed a large 3D light projection of the larger Buddha (Solsol) in its original niche, later donating their $120,000 projector to Afghanistan's culture ministry.
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| 2015 |
Buddhas of Bamiyan
Pop singer Aryana Sayeed shot the music video for her hit song 'Yaar-e Bamyani' at the ruins of the Buddhas of Bamiyan.
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| 2014 | Became Board Member of ICOM-China |
| June 22 2014 | UNESCO named the Silk Road a World Heritage Site during the 2014 Conference on World Heritage. |
| 2013 |
Buddhas of Bamiyan
The German branch of ICOMOS rebuilt the foot section of the smaller Buddha using iron rods, bricks, and concrete. UNESCO halted further construction due to lack of approval and deviation from original reconstruction policies.
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| 2012 |
Buddhas of Bamiyan
Rajesh Talwar published a novel titled 'An Afghan Winter' exploring the destruction of the Buddhas and its impact on the global Buddhist community.
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| 2010 | Joined Editorial Board of Textile History journal in London |
This contents of the box above is based on material from the Wikipedia articles The Silk Roads, Buddhas of Bamiyan, Maritime Silk Road, Silk Road, Silk Road transmission of Buddhism, Andin: Armenian Journey Chronicles, International Association for the Study of Silk Road Textiles, Zhao Feng (art historian) & History of Baghdad, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.