Summary: By Deng Zhangyu (China Daily Africa) Cities along the Silk Road are enormous treasure troves of history, culture, architecture and the arts. A photography competition held by the imaging and optical ...

By Deng Zhangyu (China Daily Africa)

Cities along the Silk Road are enormous treasure troves of history, culture, architecture and the arts. A photography competition held by the imaging and optical producer Canon Inc invited photographers to focus their lenses on these Silk Road jewels, offering a glimpse into the glamour of the past and the vibrancy of the present.

The project "Discovering the Beauty of Silk Road" has received about 8,000 photo submissions from the public since its launch in August. The photos capture traditional shadow plays, glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), Buddha sculptures, and ancient relics from the wealth of royal families, as well as the everyday lives of ordinary people.

The first year for the project has focused on the two ancient capitals: Chang'an (now Xi'an) of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) and Luoyang of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). Both of which were the starting cities for the Silk Road during their dynasties.

As its name suggests silk was the most prized good transported from China to the continents of Europe and Africa. The prosperous trade along the Silk Road lasted for more than 2,000 years. What was daily life like and what are the stories of people living in the ancient capital cities? Photographers trained their eyes on both the vestiges of the past and the tableaux of the present to capture the beauty they encountered in the two cities.

The project continues in 2015, with photographers invited to discover the beauty in more cities along the Silk Road including those in Gansu and Qinghai provinces and the Ningxia and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions.

A monk cleans an incense burner after sweeping the courtyard of snow in a suburban temple in Xi'an, the historic capital of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).  Ji Jianqiang / for China Daily

A visitor prays in front of a giant Buddha sculpture made in 628 during the Tang Dynasty. The Buddha is one of 257 stone sculptures scattered across 107 grottoes at the Dafo Temple in Bingxian, Shaanxi province. Gou Bingchen / for China Daily

Two women in traditional Chinese Hanfu clothing dance in front of the Golden Hall of Hanyuan in Xi'an. The hall was used during the Tang Dyansty for emperors to meet his subjects. Gou Bingchen / for China Daily

Traditional dancers take the stage at Daming Palace, a traditional Chinese building, in Xi'an. Dang Huazhi / for China Daily

 

A Qinqiang opera performer displays his intricate makeup. The local opera is one of the oldest in China, dating back 2,000 years. Wang Xinping / for China Daily