The Thousands of Miles on the Silk Road: Century of Tin Craft – How a Chinese Tinware Brand Witnesses the Cultural Exchange Along the Silk Road
Sep 10, 2026
Xian, China, September 10, 2026 -- In August 2026, the 2026 “The Thousands of Miles on the Silk Road 2026 ·The Path of Illumination” all-media reporting team arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to visit Royal Selangor, a national treasure-level craft brand founded by Chinese immigrants that has been passed down for 141 years.
Four Generations of Heritage: From a Family Workshop to the World’s Leading Brand
In 1885, Yong Koon, a tin and pewter craftsman from Guangdong, crossed the ocean to Kuala Lumpur and opened a small workshop to produce tinware. The Yu He (Jade Peace) mark embodies both the quality commitment and memories of home held by a craftsman who journeyed to Southeast Asia. In 1979, the company was granted the royal warrant by the Sultan of Selangor. In 1992, the company name was changed to Royal Selangor. Through four generations of heritage and a century of dedication, Royal Selangor has grown from a family workshop into the world’s largest producer of pewter.
From the “Four Gentlemen” to Dunhuang, Silk Road motifs come to life on tin
In Royal Selangor’s showroom, Chinese elements are everywhere. Executive Director Chen Tien Yue showed the press corps a piece titled “The Four Gentlemen,” in which the plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum each represent the noble virtues of the Confucian gentleman. "You will see a lot of designs that resonate with Chinese elements," said Chen Tien Yue.
At the end of 2025, Royal Selangor unveiled its "Silk Road Collection," with designs directly inspired by classic artistic images such as the Dunhuang flying apsaras. "We hope to tell these stories through our works, reminding people of the Silk Road and the centuries-long trade between East and West," Chen added. Motifs of fortune and longevity, auspicious beasts, and Dunhuang elements – where traditional Chinese craftsmanship meets local Malay flavour, a unique Southeast Asian aesthetic is born.
What is even more noteworthy is the cultural transformation behind this fact: over a hundred years ago, the artisans' products were mainly ritual and ceremonial objects for the daily life of the Chinese community; today, the brand has begun to actively seek inspiration from the homeland of Chinese civilisation, creating works with Dunhuang and the Silk Road as their themes. From a "repository of nostalgia" to a "medium of cultural expression", Royal Selangor’s transformation serves as a contemporary footnote to the evolving cultural identity of the overseas Chinese community. As China's rise drives a global cultural renaissance, overseas Chinese enterprises have reaffirmed their role as cultural ambassadors.
The beauty of objects transcends language; silent yet profound, it connects diverse civilizations.
"China is changing rapidly, and Chinese people take great pride in their culture. We believe we can play a role in helping to further promote that culture," said Chen Tien Yue.
141 years ago, a craftsman from Chaoshan packed the skills of his homeland into his travel bag and struck the first hammer blow in a foreign land. He likely never imagined that this craft would span four generations, taking root and blossoming on a distant land – blending with Malaysian aesthetics, resonating with the murals of Dunhuang, and engaging in a dialogue with memories of the Silk Road.
Objects may be silent, yet they allow a culture to endure and thrive, even after traversing mountains and seas. This is precisely what makes the Maritime Silk Road so captivating: it ensures that civilizations are not interrupted by the long journey, but rather enriched through their encounters. Royal Selangor’s century-old legacy of pewter craftsmanship bears witness to the struggles of the Chinese diaspora in Nanyang, while continuing to write a story of cultural fusion that transcends mountains and seas.
Contact Info:
Name: ZHAO YUNING
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Organization: Shaanxi Media Convergence
Website: http://www.sxtvs.com
Release ID: 89202980
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