Two gifts, bestowed by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to President Xi Jinping, are symbols of the two historical civilizations and witnesses to the longstanding friendship between the two nations.
The pair of exquisite items are on display in the Exhibition of Diplomatic Gifts Received by China's Leaders in Beijing, where gifts presented by the leaders and officials of various countries to their Chinese counterparts are being showcased. Each item represents the cultural background of the place it comes from.
One of the Egyptian gifts is a life-sized sculpture modeled after the two life-sized wooden statues discovered in the tomb of the famous pharaoh -- the Ka Statue of King Tutankhamun.
"The sculpture is adorned with a crown featuring the Khat headdress and a cobra, and is dressed in a gilded shendyt kilt. In his left hand, he holds a scepter symbolizing youth and vitality, while the right hand grasps a staff representing royal authority. The statue was a gift to Chinese President Xi Jinping, presented by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, when he came to China to attend the 1st China International Import Expo in November 2018," said Hu Zexia, Curator of the exhibition.
Five years later, when Egyptian Prime Minister Madbouly attended the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, he presented another iconic gift to Xi -- a model of the ceremonial chair of Tutankhamun.
"This chair, made of ebony, features intricate craftsmanship and rich detail. It has a curved, armless seat, with foldable legs designed for easy transport, and the feet are shaped like duck heads. The chair's backrest is adorned with an array of gemstones and gold leaves, with the upper part featuring the image of Horus, the falcon god and protector of the pharaoh. This gift is a miniature model of the chair, yet it still showcases the exceptional skill of ancient Egyptian artisans," said Hu.
China and Egypt, both ancient civilizations, began economic and cultural exchanges over one thousand years ago.
Gifts from Egypt to China symbolize friendship between two ancient civilizations
