Global scholars hail Turfan studies as cultural bridge connecting civilizations

Erica Hunter, a scholar from the University of Cambridge in the UK, listens to a keynote presentation during the Seventh International Symposium of Turfan Studies in Turpan, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Oct. 18, 2025. From Oct. 18 to 20, nearly 200 experts and scholars from over 70 universities and research institutes across 16 countries and regions -- including Germany, the United Kingdom (UK), the United States and Japan -- gathered in Turpan for the Seventh International Symposium of Turfan Studies. The topics ranged from heritage conservation to the evolution of Silk Road culture.(Xinhua/Zhou Shengbin)