Concluding the Journey

The central focus on the Kaaba conveys its religious and symbolic significance in Islam. At the same time, the repetition of arches visually connects the Chinese fan to the lower section of the scroll, forming a coherent pictorial programme. This visual coherence joins the Ottoman and Chinese cultural spheres in one pictorial plane.

The symbolism of the Chinese plum blossoms and blue mountains are seamlessly interwoven with the religious significance of the hajj journey. Because of this, our vertical scroll expresses the longing for the Kaaba in a uniquely transcultural manner. It ultimately reflects the powerful physical and emotional pull of the Kaaba to Muslims in nineteenth-century China, and around the world.