More than 180 artifacts are on Dunhuang and the Forbidden City are displayed in the Palace Museum to showcase glamour of the ancient Silk Road.[Photo by Wang Kaihao/China Daily]

For example, a hulei, a Tang era stringed musical instrument, is showcased because it appeared in the exhibited mural facsimile. The artifact is believed to have mixed elements from various cultures along the Silk Road.

"The Mogao Caves boomed because of the Silk Road," said Luo Wenhua, a researcher with the Palace Museum and a curator of the exhibition.

"Its cultural legacy is mixed into the blood of our culture and its inheritance never ends. Multicultural elements of Dunhuang were part of royal life in the Forbidden City, and also compose part of our life today," he said. "The relics from the Palace Museum and Dunhuang jointly demonstrate the inclusivity and vitality of Chinese civilization."