The Saudi Museums Commission, in collaboration with the National Museum of China, inaugurated the exhibition “The Sound of Harmony: A Journey Through Ancient Chinese Music” at the National Museum in Riyadh on Sunday, as part of the Saudi-China Cultural Year 2025.
The exhibition, which will run until December 1, offers visitors an educational and artistic experience tracing the development of Chinese music over thousands of years, through more than 100 rare musical artifacts. These include bone flutes, bronze bells, and traditional string instruments such as the guqin, along with the twelve lü pipes, reflecting the close link between music, rituals, and cultural identity in China.
The exhibition is divided into five main sections: “In Tune with Heaven and Earth,” “Echoes from Stone and Bronze,” “Mutual Melodies Between Regions and Strangers,” “A Tribute to Chinese Musical Heritage,” and “Mountains and Waters, Wind in the Forest.”
The sections present multiple aspects of China’s musical experience, from the earliest instruments created to communicate with nature, to the role of music in rituals and social systems, to its interaction with neighboring cultures, and its reflection in both official and folk traditions.
In addition to rare artifacts, the exhibition provides an integrated vision of the philosophical and spiritual role of music in Chinese civilization, portraying it as a language of contemplation, human communication, and shared values that transcend time and place.
The Museums Commission said that organizing the exhibition in Riyadh represents a significant step in the cultural cooperation between the Kingdom and China. It reflects the depth of the ties between the two countries as they continue to strengthen their partnership across various fields, and it serves as a platform for dialogue, highlighting the shared values between both sides.
