Griffins and Dragons: Silk Patterns along the Silk Road during the Mongol Period – 27 June 2026 from 12:00 PM

Griffins and Dragons: Silk Patterns along the Silk Road during the Mongol Period

How did silk patterns travel thousands of kilometres, and why can their motifs be found not only on garments but also on the coats of arms of European noble families?

The answer will be provided by Dr Feng Zhao, Honorary Director of the National Silk Museum in Hangzhou, China, and one of the world’s leading experts on historical textiles and the cultural exchanges that developed along the legendary Silk Road.

As part of the exhibition A Magical Journey to the East, which has captivated visitors with remarkable stories of silk, art, and ideas travelling between East and West, Dr Zhao will deliver a special lecture on the trade of precious textiles and the patterns and motifs that moved between cultures for centuries. Among them are designs that can still be recognised today on the coats of arms of European noble families, including the Drašković family.

The programme begins at 12:00 with a children’s workshop and a guided tour of the exhibition adapted for younger visitors. At 14:00, a guided tour of the exhibition in Croatian will be held for adult visitors. Dr Zhao’s lecture will take place at 16:00 in the Ground Floor Gallery of Trakošćan Castle and will be delivered in English. Admission is free for all visitors, including free access to the exhibition before the lecture.

As A Magical Journey to the East remains open only until 5th July, this is one of the final opportunities to immerse yourself in a fascinating story of silk, trade, art, and cultural encounters that connected continents for centuries.

If you have not yet embarked on this journey to the East, now is the perfect time. Free transportation from Zagreb has also been arranged for all interested visitors, and registration is available via the link below.

About the Lecturer:

Zhao Feng is a Qiushi Distinguished Professor at Zhejiang University, director of Silk Art and Silk Roads Research Centre, and holds the UNESCO Silk Roads Heritage. He serves as senior research fellow at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, and the co- director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum–Hong Kong Polytechnic University Joint Chinese Textile Centre; vice president of the China Museums Association, executive board member of the International Council of Museums, chairman of the International Association for the Study of Silk Roads Textiles, member of the National Committee of Cultural Relics, and former director of the China National Silk Museum.

His long-term research focuses on textile archaeology and the conservation of Chinese textile, museology, and the art history of the Silk Road. He has conducted visiting research and collaborative projects at institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (1997–1998), the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto (1999), and the British Museum in London (2006).

He has also published more than 100 articles in Chinese and English, and has authored and edited publications including Chinese Silk Art, Textiles from Dunhuang, Chinese Silk and the Silk Roads etc.