Cultural Journey of Maritime Silk Road

— Guangzhou Joins Hands with Indonesia and Sri Lanka to Open a New Chapter in World Heritage Nomination of the Maritime Silk Road

(Guangzhou, May 12, 2025) — Hosted by the Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau, the 2025 “Floral Wisper Along the Silk Road: Cultural Journey of Maritime Silk Road ” is set to embark on May 13, with stops in the historic maritime cities of Cirebon and Semarang in Indonesia, and Galle in Sri Lanka. The journey will feature cultural exchanges, academic forums, and heritage cooperation projects. It aims to strengthen ties among countries along the Maritime Silk Road, advance international collaboration on the nomination of the “Maritime Silk Road” as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, and tell a new story of oceanic civilization.

Guangzhou Leads the Way in Building Cultural Bridges

Guangzhou, historically known as the starting point of the “Sea Route to Foreign Lands,” has long served as a major hub for foreign trade and cultural exchange. As the leading city of the City Alliance for Maritime Silk Road World Heritage Conservation and Nomination (CAMSR), Guangzhou has actively promoted the global dissemination of Maritime Silk Road culture. Since 2018, the “Floral Wisper Along the Silk Road” cultural journey has visited Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Cyprus, and other countries, becoming the key platform for multilateral cultural dialogue.

To date, the CAMSR Alliance has grown to include 34 cities in China and one international city, linking heritage sites across Asia and laying a foundation for transnational collaboration in the heritage nomination process.

In November 2024, Cirebon Regency in Indonesia officially joined the Alliance, becoming the first international member. In May 2025, Guangzhou will revisit Cirebon to consolidate past achievements and institutionalize cooperation in areas such as heritage protection, data sharing, and underwater archaeology.

Cirebon: In-Depth Cooperation with the First International CAMSRCity

Located on the northern coast of Java, Cirebon has long been a key maritime gateway. In 2005, the discovery of Cirebon Shipwreck which was Northern Song Dynasty ship off its coast yielded over 230,000 artifacts, including a vast number of Yue kiln celadon pieces, attesting to the area’s vibrant historical trade with China. Local records mention that Zheng he (Cheng Ho) once docked in Cirebon and helped build a lighthouse near Muara Jati port. The Kasepuhan Palace still holds relics of Ong Tien Nio, a princess of the Ming Dynasty, symbolizing the deep cultural bonds between China and Indonesia.

During this visit, the Cirebon Regency government will host the Guangzhou delegation with high-level hospitality and plans to develop the Maritime Archaeology Museum modeled on the conservation experience of China. Experts from Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Indonesia, National Archaeological Center, and ICOMOS will take part in roundtable discussions to promote bilateral cooperation in maritime heritage protection.

Before the visiting, Bupati Imron, the Regent of Cirebon, sent the official letter to the Guangzhou government, stating:

Let us work together to create a best-practice model for underwater cultural heritage cooperation and utilization, making it a landmark project in cultural collaboration between our two countries, and the best example of Asian civilization in harmony.

Semarang: Living Legacy of Zheng he

As a major landing site during Zheng he’s voyages, Semarang retains a vibrant Tionghoa-Indonesian heritage. The local Zheng he Temple — Tay Kak Sie and Sam Poh Kong — hosts the grand annual Sam Poh Festival, now recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia in 2024. The interwoven images of Zheng he, his deputy Wang Jing-hong, and the legendary Dampu Awang form a cultural narrative of Sino-Indonesian friendship.

The Guangzhou delegation will host performances in Semarang, featuring Cantonese music and the Cantonese opera “Ode to Lychee,” sharing the stage with Semarang’s mascot dance — “Tari Warak.” Nearly identical to the Chinese auspicious Qilin, the Warak recalls the legendary giraffe brought back by Zheng he from Bangladesh and Africa, once hailed as a mystical beast.

Semarang Mayor Dr. Agustina, along with local universities and cultural institutions, will participate in academic forums and explore initiatives such as direct air links and expanded bilateral cooperation.

Galle: South Asia’s Jewel Linking East and West

Located on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Galle is a historic convergence point of Eastern and Western maritime routes, listed in UNESCO World Heritage in 1988. Zheng he once visited and erected the famous Zheng He Trilingual Inscription for offerings to Buddhist temple. In April 2025, the joint Sino-Sri Lankan nomination of the Trilingual Inscription was listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.

This marks Guangzhou’s first visit to the South Asian UNESCO heritage city along the Maritime Silk Road. The delegation will engage with Sri Lanka’s National Tourism Promotion Bureau on cultural exchange and underwater heritage cooperation. The visit aims to establish new platforms for collaboration and foster more multinational heritage initiatives.

Dialogue of Civilizations, Shared Cultural Future

The “Floral Wisper Along the Silk Road ” cultural journey will also feature a series of events such as the Maritime Silk Road Cultural Performance, the signing of heritage cooperation memorandums, and themed exhibitions. These activities will include exhibitions, academic dialogues, and public interactions, bringing together officials, scholars, institutions, and local citizens to deepen appreciation for the Maritime Silk Road’s historical and cultural value.

Universal Outstanding Value(UOV) by Guangzhou Heritage Practice

The year 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of China–Indonesia diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, as well as a key milestone in Guangzhou’s journey to becoming an international cultural hub. The Floral Wisper Along the Silk Road cultural journey showcases Guangzhou’s openness and inclusiveness, and offers a practical “Guangzhou approach” to China’s participation in global heritage protection.

A spokesperson for the Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau remarked:

“We hope that through this cultural journey, the world will better understand Guangzhou, and China’s Maritime Silk Road heritage — to tell China’s story well and drive substantial progress in the joint nomination.”

Through the “he Floral Wisper Along the Silk Road cultural journey, Guangzhou is forging bonds with coastal cities across the Maritime Silk Road, using culture as a bridge to envision a shared maritime future for Asia.