Splendid Connections Across Eurasia, the Silk Road Linking the World

On November 4, 2025, the “Charm of Jiangsu” cultural and tourism promotion event, along with the “Weaving Water into Brocade · Oriental Elegance” embroidery art exhibition, opened brilliantly at the China Cultural Center in Madrid. Cultural and tourism professionals, artists, designers and media representatives from Spain gathered to witness this grand exchange event, themed “Connecting Humanity Through Water, Linking the World Through Art.” The embroidery art exhibition offered Spanish audiences a panoramic view of Eastern aesthetics, showcasing the cultural depth and unique “Charm of Jiangsu.” This event not only continues the friendly exchanges between Jiangsu and Spain but also uses intangible cultural heritage fashion pieces as a bridge to write a new chapter for “Charm of Jiangsu” on the Iberian Peninsula.

Cultural and Tourism Promotion Event: Celebrating Friendship and Showcasing Civilizational Elegance

At the promotion event, Chen Zhongwei, Vice Governor of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, delivered a keynote speech. He noted that Jiangsu is a major Province in terms of economy, culture and openness, with a solid industrial foundation, profound cultural heritage and abundant tourism resources, making it one of China’s most dynamic and promising regions. Jiangsu has a long-standing history of exchanges with Spain. In recent years, cooperation between the two sides in areas such as new energy, infrastructure construction and cultural tourism has grown increasingly close, yielding positive results. President Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of jointly building a “garden of civilizations” where diverse cultures flourish in harmony. Jiangsu boasts a rich and colorful humanistic landscape, while Spanish culture reflects a blend of Iberian, Celtic, Roman and Arab elements. Vice Governor Chen expressed hope that Jiangsu and Spain will further deepen cooperation and exchange in the cultural sphere, actively promote personnel exchanges and the integration of cultural and tourism resources, allowing the soft Wu dialect to meet flamenco, and Jiangnan gardens to encounter Spanish castles, continuously bringing the two sides closer and strengthening the fruits of their friendship.

Qian Ning, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, warmly introduced Jiangsu’s distinctive resources, which “arise and flourish along its waters,” and extended a sincere invitation to the Spanish public with the message: “Charm of Jiangsu · More Beautiful with You.” In his welcome remarks, Yang Changqing, Director of the China Cultural Center in Madrid and the China National Tourism Administration Office in Madrid, fully recognized the exhibition’s significant role in deepening civilizational interaction and sustaining friendly ties between the two regions. From the perspective of local cultural and tourism development, Sabine Schwanz, Deputy Director of the Madrid City Government Tourism Bureau, expressed her willingness to explore cooperation with Jiangsu and jointly promote the prosperity of cultural and tourism exchanges. Antonio Miguel Carmona, President of the Spanish-Chinese Friendship Association, discussed opportunities for ongoing people-to-people exchanges, looking forward to continuously fostering mutual understanding between the peoples of both regions. In his remarks, Yao Jing, Ambassador of China to Spain, fully affirmed the contribution of cultural and tourism exchanges to China-Spain friendship, praising “Charm of Jiangsu” for injecting new vitality into the mutual learning and appreciation of the two civilizations.

Following the speeches, attendees watched the “Charm of Jiangsu” cultural and tourism promotion video, which led viewers through an immersive experience across three chapters: “Harmony of Waters,” “Imprints of Water” and “Water Nurtures a Region.” Artists from China and abroad jointly performed The Dance of the Brocade Fan, blending the distinct movement languages of Jiangnan fan dance and flamenco in a synchronized dialogue. A single “Fan of Friendship” symbolized the profound meaning of cultural inclusiveness and coexistence.

Finally, the attending leaders and guests took up brushes and inaugurated the “Weaving Water into Brocade · Oriental Elegance” embroidery art exhibition through a pointillist painting activity, symbolically creating a new canvas for cultural and tourism exchanges between Jiangsu and Spain.

Embroidery Art Exhibition: Four Major Sections Showcase Eastern Beauty to the World

Jiangsu’s silk culture is both profound and widely distributed, giving rise to a diverse and dazzling array of weaving and embroidery techniques. The exhibition is divided into four major sections: Charm of Water in Weaving and Embroidery, Weaving Fun in Daily Life, Trendy Creative Weaving and Splendid Brocade Weaving. It brings together collections from the Suzhou Silk Museum, Nanjing Yun Brocade Museum and other well-known silk cultural and creative products from across the province, linking historical heritage with contemporary innovation, and demonstrating craftsmanship alongside practical applications. The exhibition comprehensively presents the rich connotations and innovative vitality of Jiangsu’s weaving and embroidery culture.

The Charm of Water in Weaving and Embroidery section invites visitors on a journey to explore the origins of Jiangsu’s silk culture. Through models of oblique looms and Kesi looms, audiences can feel the artisans’ craftsmanship and trace top-quality silk from fine cocoons and lustrous threads. Qing dynasty brocades, meticulously replicated by national intangible cultural heritage inheritors of Song brocade weaving, showcase the intricate artistry of centuries past. The Weaving Fun in Daily Life section breaks down the distance between intangible heritage and everyday life, turning royal Yun brocade, Song brocade and delicate Su embroidery and kesi works into practical and cherished items. Masterpieces such as Picasso and Dream, embroidered by Su embroidery masters, create a miniature dialogue between Eastern and Western art. The Trendy Creative Weaving section highlights the collision of tradition and fashion, featuring innovative embroidery fashion shows presented by China’s emerging designers.

Suzhou Silk Museum: Looms, Song Brocade and New Zhangzhou Satin Fabrics

Nanjing Yun Brocade

Taihu Snow Silk Silkworm Cocoon Floral Art

Longquan Xili Intangible Cultural Heritage and Chinese Trend Cultural Products

Saint-Joy Silk Song Brocade New Chinese-Style Garments

Suzhou Yanchuang Kesi Masterpieces

Yannuo International Intangible Cultural Heritage Craft Fashion

The Splendid Brocade Weaving section leads visitors on a “virtual tour” of Jiangsu through a fusion of classical and modern silk fashion shows and panoramic images of the province’s scenic landscapes. From the graceful lantern reflections along Nanjing’s Qinhuai River, the bridges and flowing waters of Suzhou’s Zhouzhuang, the pavilions and towers of Yangzhou’s Slender West Lake, to the UNESCO World Heritage sites along the Grand Canal, each image showcases breathtaking vistas. Visitors are immersed in the dual visual experience of exquisite silk garments and stunning scenery, fully appreciating the endless Charm of Jiangsu.

Spanish Models Showcase Tianxi Luxury Garments

Many visiting artists and media representatives shared that the exhibition inspired numerous “unexpected” and “striking” insights. When perspectives from different fields converge on the fusion of history and innovation in Jiangsu’s weaving and embroidery, their assessments were remarkably consistent: this is an unmissable experience of Eastern aesthetics. Renowned Spanish painter Alberto remarked, “I am honored to participate in the Weaving Water into Brocade · Oriental Elegance embroidery art exhibition. The delicacy and vitality of Suzhou embroidery allow me to truly feel the beauty of Jiangsu—soft and gentle like water, yet full of vibrant life. It conveys emotions through silk threads, just as we capture light and shadow with colors; at its core, both are expressions of art. Art knows no borders, and I look forward to continued mutual inspiration between Chinese and Western art through exchanges like this, blossoming even more brilliantly.”

Mainstream Spanish media outlet Diario de Madrid commented that the Charm of Jiangsu · Oriental Elegance exhibition not only showcased the unique natural and cultural beauty of eastern China but also offered the Spanish public a deeper understanding of contemporary Chinese cultural vitality. Spain Tourism Magazine noted that the exhibition’s theme of “water and weaving and embroidery” symbolizes Jiangsu’s regional spirit and its millennia-old silk tradition. Madrid-based artist Miguel Angel González Suárez described the works as “seemingly woven stitch by stitch on the surface of water,” with meticulous weaving and embroidery craftsmanship allowing audiences to experience the serenity and refinement of Eastern art.

Media commentators noted that the exhibition was not merely an art display but also a platform for cultural and diplomatic exchange. Such cultural activities “help break Western stereotypes about China,” guiding audiences from initial curiosity and superficial impressions toward a more authentic and deeper understanding.

The Charm of Jiangsu cultural and tourism promotion event, together with the Weaving Water into Brocade · Oriental Elegance embroidery art exhibition, was not only a cultural feast but also an important practice in promoting Jiangsu’s cultural and tourism resources abroad, injecting new momentum into China-Spain exchanges and carrying profound significance. Centered on the Eastern symbol of “weaving and embroidery,” the event combined a promotion conference with an exhibition to comprehensively showcase Jiangsu’s intangible cultural heritage, UNESCO World Heritage sites and natural landscapes.

With silk’s enduring charm and lasting friendship, the Weaving Water into Brocade · Oriental Elegance embroidery art exhibition will continue until November 25, leaving Madrid audiences with a memorable encounter with Eastern aesthetics. Looking ahead, Jiangsu will adopt an even more open posture to share its story on the world stage, allowing the name Charm of Jiangsu to flow with the silk threads and endure in friendship.