September 9th, 2023, in Rome, the Chinese branch of the Borjigin family, Prince Steven Borjigin, and his brother Xue Jian were awarded the honorary titles of the Saint Silvestre Order Association. “Rome is one of the poles of the Silk Road.” Prince Steven Jorchen Harold Borjing, heir of the 36th dynasty of Genghis Khan, launched almost with a proclamation a path for the future, a destiny of his new mission, between Italy and China. He speaks of peoples, of union between cultures, of friendship and gratitude towards the Italian people, remembering the glorious feat his ancestors did 700 years ago by building the Silk Road for the first time. The return of the great legacy marks the centerpiece of this event.
This was the first event hosted by the Italian Catholic religious organization with the Mongol-Chinese royals. This marks the historical steps for furthering the union between Asia and Europe, particularly in cultural exchanges and historical legacies. Rome is not a new destination for China, but the ancient silk was already initiated by the Borjigin family in the 12th century.
Prince Xue Jian Borjigin, the brother of Prince Steven, has also remarked on his understanding of the common destiny of humanity, that the cultural performances need historical maturity that both Europe and Asia have through the centuries-long trade, cultural, and commercial exchanges. The Prince indulges in a long conversation on Italy-China relations with Ambassador Paolo Sabbatini and the local Italian news agency. He talked about what is “the Silk Road” for him. Now more than ever, it is essential to have a dialogue between peoples and religions,” and he speaks of “his duty to bring Western and Eastern traditions closer together”. “I recently approached the Christian tradition – he says – the Catholic religion has a strong mission because it preaches love. Genghis Khan was not just a world leader; he had brought together peoples of different religions in his Empire. My task is to pass on this spiritual legacy and complete the mission of my ancestors.” Finally, words of admiration for the Eternal City and Italy, after the private visit to the Vatican: “The soul of the Romans is of great Christians. Great life and prosperity for the Italian people. I assure you that all Chinese children know the Renaissance,” says the Prince’s brother, Xue Jian Borjigin. So once again the gaze returns to the past: and that is where the new Genghis Khan will look.
Silk road is not only a modern Chinese invention, but its legacy has already been started almost 1300 years ago. The richness of culture, love for dialogues and civilizational exchanges were always the key for the nations across the Silk Road route. It is no coincidence that both Europe and Asia are next to each other, this is a metaphysical reason why Europe and together with Asia, by the majority periods of history, always remained as the center of the world, both economically and culturally.
