Egyptian Sinologist at Wenzhou Maritime Silk Road International Communication Base Explores Shuomen Ancient Port Archaeological Site Park

On April 12, Wenzhou Shuomen Ancient Port Archaeological Site Park officially opened to the public. This millennium-old port, a keeper of Maritime Silk Road memories, made its grand debut.

As the only fully intact historical port relic from the Song and Yuan dynasties, Shuomen Ancient Port integrates an urban center, a trading port, and waterways with navigation markers, featuring an extensive scale and a complete operational system. It preserves the core layout of a global maritime trade hub of the Song and Yuan eras in its entirety. It stands as the core cultural symbol of Wenzhou’s identity as a “Millennium Commercial Port” and a crucial testament to the flourishing development of the ancient Maritime Silk Road.

On the opening day, Nageh Mohamed Taha—an Egyptian sinologist, doctoral graduate of Fudan University, researcher at the Wenzhou Maritime Silk Road International Communication Base, and international entrepreneur from the Wenzhou International Youth Entrepreneurship Park—was invited to tour the site and immerse himself in its historical allure. Walking through the park and watching the tides of the Oujiang River roll in, he was deeply awestruck. He noted that standing on ground that once hosted merchants from across the world, he could not help but reflect on the ties between his ancestors and this ancient port: over a thousand years ago, Arab trading vessels sailed to Wenzhou via the Maritime Silk Road, fostering the exchange and integration of Chinese and Western civilizations.

Looking ahead, Nageh Mohamed Taha shared his earnest hopes: “I wish more Egyptian archaeologists would come to conduct research, trace the cultural commonalities and connections between the Chinese and Arab peoples, use this ancient port as a bridge to advance China-Arab friendly exchanges, and keep the story of mutual learning among civilizations alive in the new era.”

Shuomen Ancient Port is more than an archaeological site; it is a civilizational link connecting the past and the future. It bore witness to the openness and inclusivity of the ancient Maritime Silk Road and now embodies the vision of connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative in the new era. Today, the echoes of ancient sails return to the port, which is poised to write a new chapter of China-Arab civilizational exchange and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.