Highlights of the Beijing exhibition include a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) vase. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

3. Learn about China, and china

China's English name, minus the capital C, is a term for ceramics, particularly porcelain. Many believe this is because the country has been a world leader in the production of fine ceramics for centuries, with the most famous examples including blue-and-white pottery.

Thanks to the ancient Silk Road, the country's precious porcelain was sold to countries around the world. Now the National Museum of China is offering a brief review of the ancient maritime trade in ceramics. TitledA Sail Over Miles, the ongoing exhibition featuring nearly 300 antique objects navigates the manufacturing, export and shipping routes from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Some of the objects on show were excavated from the wrecks of sunken cargo ships that had been under the sea for a long time, such as Nanhai No 1, a Chinese merchant carrier dating back more than 800 years.

The exhibition also shows Japanese, Korean and British ceramics, reflecting the influence of China's porcelain-making techniques in local industries.

If you go:

9:00 am-4:00 pm, No. 16, East Chang'an Avenue, Dongcheng district, Beijing (on the east side of Tian'anmen Square) 京东城区东长安街16号天安门广场东侧,国家博物馆