A 5,000-year-old jade cong used in Neolithic Liangzhu rituals in Zhejiang province is displayed at an Asian civilization exhibition at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

A treasure trove of cultural relics from East China's Zhejiang province is among the highlights at an ongoing Asian civilization exhibition at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing.

The exhibition, which opened on May 13, is one of several cultural events to mark the inaugural Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations.

It features 130 artworks by 120 artists from 47 countries in Asia, covering art forms ranging from ink and oil paintings to prints and sculptures. 

A 5,000-year-old jade cong used in Neolithic Liangzhu rituals in Zhejiang province is one of the 108 objects representing China, which may hold the key to unlocking the splendor of the lost and once influential civilization.

Liangzhu culture (3400-2350 BC) is a late Neolithic culture first discovered 80 years ago by Chinese archaeologists in the town of Liangzhu in Hangzhou. The ancient culture played an important role in shaping ancient Chinese civilization. More than 500 sites have been excavated to date, spanning East China's Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, as well as Shanghai.

The jade cong of Neolithic Liangzhu reminds people of Zhejiang and is one of the most representative Zhejiang cultural relics, said Hu Huimei, an employee at the Zhejiang Cultural Relics Bureau.

The kettle-shaped Yue ware celadon is displayed at the exhibition of Asian civilization in National Art Museum of China of Beijing. [Photo/zjol.com.cn] 

Other exhibits from Zhejiang include a kettle-shaped Yue ware celadon and a Longquan celadon, which originated in China and flourished in the Zhejiang-based kilns of ancient time.

Yue Kiln sites are where the finest celadon was produced in ancient China, while Longquan celadon, made in Longquan and the neighboring counties of Lishui, was selected as a "world intangible heritage" by UNESCO in 2009, the only celadon art to make the list.

The exhibition runs until Aug 11.

A Longquan celadon artwork is displayed at the exhibition of Asian civilization in National Art Museum of China of Beijing. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]