About the Author
Amy Yang, also known as "srilanka - nanggii”, is the Chinese person who has written the most about Sri Lanka.
She moved to Sri Lanka in 2010 and currently resides in Colombo with her family.
As a journalist, book author, and blogger, she is the author of 7 books and a columnist, and has interviewed significant figures, from presidents to artists. Among her published works are National Geographic of China: Travel Guide to Sri Lanka, Incredible India, and the translated The Brave Journey: Climbing the Seven Summits.
Written by : Shiyuan Yang
An anniversary year is always memorable. This year, we welcome the 10th anniversary of President Xi’s visit to Sri Lanka in 2014.
Nowadays, despite rapid globalization,regional interaction is still limited.
The Silk Road has seen thousands of years of cooperation despite differences in race, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds. The name, ‘Silk Road,’ was given 150 years ago by a German geographer. He was trying to explain ancient China’s connection with the rest of Asia countries. He chose the word “silk”, a high-value elite luxury good that was traded in relatively small amounts.
The two ancient oriental countries: Sri Lanka and China have established a deep connection through the Silk Road. Our cultures have common “Oriental roots.”
The Silk Road has become the backbone that is now called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It has become China’s signature economic and foreign policy of the 21st Century.
Chinese enterprises have committed to projects such as highways, ports, and large-scale infrastructure projects, especially in emerging countries. Membership of this network is enlarged and enriched. There was no real worry or questions about language or race. It is all about trade network and matching supply with demand.
(China | Dunhuang Mural Feitian) 中国 | 敦煌壁画：飞天
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BRI not only provides transportation of productivity, but also strengthens cultural ties and peoples’ interaction between countries, serves the course of dialogue and cooperation, and nurtures new opportunities, ideas, art, and innovation.
When we exchange goods, we also learn from each other. We learn languages, faith, beliefs, and dreams. Quoting the old poem, “No man is an island”, we have a shared future. The core is connection.
An example is the famous female images at Sigiriya Lion’s Rock.
The female images on the rocks have vivid natural expressions, even the hair and decorations are visible. We see a similar painting that is quite famous in ancient China. You can find they are highly similar in style.
Since ancient times, China has believed civilizations can co-exist in harmony and diversity. Only when civilizations embrace each other based on trust can they be updated. Our core values ought to integrate the domestic, international, and contemporary picture, which is a product nurtured by culture. When we both belong to the Asian countries, we have more in common than differences.
Without the belief that traditional values can still be modernized, diversified, and improved, the contribution of culture to a nation’s core values cannot be fully recognized.
The Sri Lankan culture is rooted in the East, inspired and influenced by the West. But Sri Lankans have always believed that ‘tradition is beautiful’, just like the architecture of Geoffrey Bawa. What inspired me most is that after traveling the world, he still thinks his country’s culture is the most beautiful. His views deeply influenced Sri Lankan elites and the art world which is similar to the Chinese philosophy.
President Xi’s vision is to realize development and prosperity for all.
Sri Lanka’s ambition is to emerge as a “maritime hub for South Asia and the maritime hub for the Indian Ocean”. The BRI maritime infrastructure and connectivity project matches Sri Lanka’s blueprint.
Since we moved on from Covid, we are open to do the best: creating a world of opportunity and absorbing diverse culture based on improved infrastructure. I’m happy to see Chinese tourists coming back and the numbers rising rapidly. They are just a tiny aspect of our connection.
Being a part of the initiative is not enough, we need to work together to make it more impactful. I’m looking forward to more cultural cooperation programs.
A Chinese saying goes: “All things are difficult before they are easy”. To make them easy, we should remember partnership, inclusiveness, and sustainability and lay emphasis on our Eastern values.