Ancient Qiuci lay on the northern rim of the Tarim Basin, in the oasis belt at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, and commanded the middle section of the northern Silk Road. Oasis farming and an east-west crossroads position together shaped a local culture that developed over many centuries and greatly enriched the content of Chinese culture.

The renowned Qiuci cave temples trace the course of Buddhist art as it took root and developed in China. Their murals and sculptures are counted among the treasures of classical Chinese art. Qiuci music and dance, at their height, set a standard for classical Chinese music and dance. This culture carries Chinese aesthetic ideas and values; the poems and songs it inspired have spread its name far and wide and reflect the long historical reach of Chinese civilization.

Kuqa in Aksu prefecture in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the core area of Qiuci culture, preserves rich material remains and has also nurtured performing arts, folk painting, handicrafts and other forms of intangible cultural heritage.

The exhibition Jiangu Wansui Renmin Xi (May the firm and enduring last forever, and may the people rejoice) carries the Qiuci culture across the centuries. Kuqa, where past and present interweave, shines ever more brightly.