PolyU Chinese Culture Festival 2025—Threads of Unity: Belt & Road Fashion Show

As a dynamic gateway connecting China to the world, Hong Kong plays a crucial role in the “Belt and Road Initiative”, creating opportunities for its creative sectors. With a strong foundation in innovation and a proud legacy of promoting art and culture, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) proudly presents the two-day “Threads of Unity: Belt and Road Fashion Show”, which brings together a dazzling fashion show, exhibition, cultural lecture and workshop that celebrate creativity, artistic collaboration, technology, and Chinese cultural heritage.

Jointly-organised by the School of Fashion and Textiles, the Faculty of Humanities, and the Confucius Institute, this vibrant show features 35 designers and professionals from 30 regions along the Belt and Road routes, spanning Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. Attendees will enjoy a captivating fashion show on campus showcasing 70 unique outfits that merge modern fashion with traditional Chinese motifs as well as local cultural symbols, complemented by an exhibition highlighting both traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design. Additionally, the event includes a cultural lecture and workshop to deepen exchanges and promote mutual learning.

Key highlights of the two-day event include:

1. Fashion Show

In light of the tragic fire incident that occurred on 26 November at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, and out of our deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the deceased, the injured, and the affected residents, the Threads of Unity: Belt and Road Fashion Show will be cancelled and will only be recorded for archival and academic exchange purposes.

An international collaboration featuring 70 unique outfits by 35 designers from 30 Belt and Road regions, blending traditional craftsmanship with local cultural symbols.

Date: 28 November 2025 (Friday)

Time: 6 pm – 7.20 pm

Location: University Square, PolyU

2. Exhibition booths (proceed as schedule)

A showcase of traditional arts, crafts, and contemporary designs from diverse regions. All are welcome.

Date: 28 & 29 November 2025 (Friday & Saturday)

Time: 4 pm – 6 pm (28 Nov); 11 am – 5 pm (29 Nov)

Location: Podium (CF & FJ wings), PolyU

3. Culture Lecture (proceed as schedule)

Buddhism and Trade: Material Interactions along the Silk Routes
The term “Silk Road” has acquired much broader implications beyond its literal meaning since it was popularized by the German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen in 1877, when he was planning a railway to connect Germany with its “colony” in China. The term refers not only to a network of multiple land, steppe, and maritime routes linking Eurasia, but also to the key regions that once played vital roles in sustaining this transcontinental artery, especially Sassanian Persia, Sogdiana, and the various small states of Central Asia. The cultures of these regions were long in flux due to frequent warfare, which gave rise to refugees and forced migrations.

This talk explores the stories of the peoples and objects that moved along the land-based Silk Road between the third and tenth centuries, focusing on two main threads: the trade of commodities and the spread of Buddhism. The story of trade will be told through the study of ancient letters and excavated artifacts from several key sites, especially the Hejiacun Hoard in Xi’an, the Shi Family Tombs in Guyuan (a Sogdian “colony” during the Tang dynasty), the Library Cave at Dunhuang, and the Astana Tombs in Turfan. The story of Buddhism will be revealed through investigations of various Buddhist cave sites along the Silk Road: from Ajanta in India and the Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan, to the Rawak, Kizil and Toyok sites in Xinjiang, and ultimately to Dunhuang, Yungang, and Maijishan Caves in inland China.

Date: 29 November 2025 (Saturday)

Time: 9 am – 11 am

Location: ST111, PolyU

Language: English

Registration is now closed, thank you for your support.

4. Workshop (proceed as schedule)

This natural dye workshop, led by Professor Guan Lansheng from Beijing Union University, offers participants an engaging experience to co-create fashion accessories inspired by Silk Road elements. This workshop is by exclusive invitation only.

Date: 29 November 2025 (Saturday)

Time: 11 am – 1 pm

Location: Fashion Gallery, PolyU

The Threads of Unity: Belt and Road Fashion Show is a flagship event of the PolyU Chinese Culture Festival 2025. This annual initiative celebrates the richness of Chinese culture and heritage, aiming to deepen understanding among the younger generation and the wider community. It also seeks to strengthen pride in national identity and promote Hong Kong as an East-meets-West hub for international cultural exchange.