Have you ever wondered how Buddhism and rock music relate? Do you think of an apocalypse when you gaze at a lush courtyard? Listen and learn to “think freer” about the Smithsonian’s museums of Asian art, our collections, and the big ideas they provoke.

The Freer and Sackler Galleries’ Silk Road Storytelling group is made up of volunteers from the Washington DC community who have cultural ties to various sites along the ancient Silk Road. They trained with professional storyteller Louise Omoto Kessel to learn to tell stories from their homelands including Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan. Here is a sample of their stories. We trust that listeners will experienc ...