A special exhibition of Cambodia Angkor relics and art was officially kicked off on Thursday in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province, for further cooperation and exchanges between the two nations.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Arts of the Royal Government of Cambodia and the provincial administration of cultural heritage of Shaanxi, the exhibition entitled Khmer Smile – Cambodia Angkor Relics and Art will last til Oct 15 with 80 pieces (sets) of rare relics to be displayed in Shaanxi Historical Museum.

It is the first Cambodian relics exhibition held in China since 1949 and the exhibits including all kinds of Buddhist art and Buddha sculptures, architectural elements and ornaments, ceramics and other cultural relics made of stone and bronze are all from the National Museum of Cambodia, to show the Angkor art created from the 9th to 14th century in the heyday of Cambodia's ancient history and civilization.

The architectural and sculptural style of the Cambodia Angkor Dynasty was strongly influenced by Indian culture and its architectural and sculptural arts were the top ones in the field for a long time in Southeast Asia. Angkor was listed as the world heritage site by UNESCO in 1992 and is one of the most important tourism destinations in the world.