There were also souvenirs designed by the China National Silk Museum in Hangzhou decorated with illustrations of animals, costumes, architecture and trade scenes along the ancient Silk Road, the trade routes connecting China with other civilizations in Asia, Europe and Africa.

Elements typical of Indian, Persian, and Central Asian cultures are seen in these illustrations.

Bulgarian artist Assadour Markarov, also a professor at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, turned bamboo pipes, colorful strips of cloth and threads into a loom-shaped installation. With a dappled lighting effect, silhouettes of modern cities expressed the artist’s reflections on the past and the future.