A unique exhibition of Chinese silk has opened in Khabarovsk in Russia's Far East. Some of the costumes are more than 1,500 years old. Most of them were worn by Chinese emperors and close members their family.

The exhibition is attracting quite a diverse crowd, not only historians and specialists but also tax inspectors. The items on display are not only of historic importance but are worth more than US $15 MLN.

This pillow, also from the emperors' collection, is valued at US $100,000.

And these trousers have a price tag of five hundred thousand. When they were new they were considerably cheaper as silk was the main stay of the Chinese economy.
But nothing is for sale.

“The silk road was more important to the Chinese economy than the Trans Siberian railway is to Russia today,” said Syue Demin, Deputy Director of the Chinese Silk Museum.

The Silk Road was at its peak between the 9th and 14th century, but even today 90% of the world's silk is still produced by China.