The ongoing exhibition in the Palace Museum showcases 140 sets of relics including porcelain, enamel pieces, antique clocks, paintings and scientific instruments.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Palace Museum holds first major show of items from marine routes of the Silk Road, Wang Kaihao reports.

The red building of Meridian Gate Gallery in the Palace Museum is covered in blue light these days to reflect the cultural communication routes that once existed between the East and the West. As China's royal palace from 1420 to 1911, the institution also known as the Forbidden City, houses memories of such links.

The Forbidden City and the Maritime Silk Road, an ongoing exhibition, is showcasing 140 sets of cultural relics, with relevance to such communication during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, from the museum's myriad collections. The items range from porcelain to and enamel pieces to antique clocks, paintings and scientific instruments.

The show will run through July 8.

"Many items were gifts to Western diplomats and missionaries during the two dynasties, but some locally made artifacts that adopted Western techniques, are also displayed," says Shan Jixiang, director of the museum.

"They are key witnesses of China's communication with the rest of world during that time."