From October 17th to 18th, the 3rd Belt and Road International Cooperation Forum is being held in Beijing. As the Belt and Road Initiative celebrates its 10th anniversary, this forum has attracted a lot of attention about the culture and scenery along the Belt and Road.

In 2015, Mr. Yan Bin, Chairman of Reignwood Group and Founder and Honorary Chairman of Reignwood Culture Foundation, learned during a visit to the United States that the renowned photographer Mr. Michael Yamashita had completely retraced the maritime and land routes of the Silk Road and captured 350,000 precious photos documenting the natural and cultural changes along this historic economic and cultural corridor. Mr. Yan Bin fully acknowledged the irreplaceable historical and cultural value of these photos and led Reignwood Culture Foundation in purchasing the copyrights. Today, due to factors such as war and natural disasters, a significant number of the historical sites depicted in these photos have vanished. As a result, the historical value of these photographic works is increasingly emphasized.

Michael Yamashita has travelled to various locations across continents capturing photos, but his deep affection for Asia remains constant. He fully retraced the historic journeys of Marco Polo and Zheng He, endeavoring to capture the perspectives of these figures and document the enduring local customs, significant historical sites, and the emergence of a new culture that harmoniously blends Eastern and Western influences.

Under the leadership and planning of Mr. Yan Bin, and supported by Beijing Reignwood Culture Foundation,  the "Silk Road Journey - Belt and Road Photography Exhibition" has been held in multiple countries and regions globally since 2016, including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. With a total of 21 exhibitions, it has attracted over 100,000 visitors. These photographs are regarded as precious treasures in the historical archive of the Silk Road. In addition to the global exhibitions, the Silk Road Journey Exhibition has also been featured at significant events such as the first Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forum in 2017 and the Hong Kong Belt and Road Summit to promote international cultural exchange and economic cooperation, and contribute to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road initiative, serving as a bridge for cultural communication between East and West.