A group of five elders from Japan recently paid a visit to Ningbo, a coastal city in East China's Zhejiang province, to explore the trade history between China and Japan along the Maritime Silk Road.

During the tour, the group attended an exchange meeting where they were briefed on a long history of exchanges between Ningbo and Japan, and visited several local attractions, including a monument of a Japanese Zen master, the Tianning Pagoda of Ningbo, the Tianfeng Pagoda and the Ningbo Drum Tower Complex.

My interest in Chinese culture stems from Tang Dynasty poetry that I learned in junior school, said one of the members of the group, adding that his favorite poem is the famous "The Peach Blossom Spring", a fable written by Tao Yuanming in 421 CE.

Ningbo was an important port for Sino-Japanese bilateral trade from the era of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The exported products included porcelain, silk cloth, spice, medicine, books and calligraphy and paintings, said the leader of the group.

He added that visiting these historic relics reminded him of the friendly exchanges between the two peoples in ancient times. Upon returning home, the group plans to spread awareness of the history of Sino-Japanese trade.