An exhibition showcasing Cambodia's ancient Khmer civilization dating back 1,000 years drew large crowds on its opening day at the Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, as it offers Chinese visitors a rare chance to experience the richness of Angkor heritage up close.

The exhibition, which opened on Friday and will run until October 7, features over 130 pieces or sets of cultural relics from the National Museum of Cambodia, including Buddhist sculptures, architectural elements, and ceramics dating from the Funan Kingdom to the Angkor Empire.

"The majority of Chinese people are very familiar with Cambodian culture, especially with Angkor temple. But to see such beautiful objects, especially the masterpiece like over there, a masterpiece sculpture, is a very rare opportunity," said Ly Vanna, Secretary of State of Cambodia's Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.

The exhibition showcases 1,000 years of Cambodian art and the long-standing cultural exchanges between China and Cambodia.

"The occasion provides Chinese people more opportunity to learn and observe Khmer civilization, and then also to recall the relationship between these two countries historically," Ly said.

"What impressed me most was the balustrade carved with Garuda and Naga. The piece has a strong visual impact. I've learned about Garuda from the classic Chinese novel 'Journey to the West', so I was particularly eager to see it in person. It brought back fond memories and made the exhibition more engaging," said Zhang Xiaoyan, a student at Taiyuan Normal University.

Spanning nearly 2,000 years, the China-Cambodia friendship is a longstanding bond. Having supported Cambodia's cultural heritage preservation with technology and expertise in recent decades, China now sees this exhibition exemplify the two countries' growing cultural cooperation, as the museum highlights.