STORY: From ancient hub to modern marvel, the revival of Dunhuang
SHOOTING DATE: File
DATELINE: Oct. 31, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:42
LOCATION: LANZHOU, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Dunhuang
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): NEIL SCHMID, Researcher at Dunhuang Academy
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): KIRILL SOLONIN, Professor at Renmin University of China

STORYLINE:

Dunhuang City
Gansu Province, NW China

Lying in an oasis at the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, Dunhuang was a major stop on the ancient Silk Road, which linked the East and West through vibrant trade.

The distinctive culture of Dunhuang is best represented by the Mogao Grottoes, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dating back to the 4th century, the site features 735 caves carved into a cliff, currently housing more than 2,000 colorful sculptures and 45,000 square meters of murals.
   
Dunhuang is attracting visitors and scholars from around the world who are keen to delve into its historical significance and witness its modern cultural revival.

American researcher Neil Schmid developed a fascination with Dunhuang's Mogao Caves during his first visit in 1987.

His dedication culminated in joining the Dunhuang Academy in 2018, where he continues to promote Dunhuang's significance globally.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): NEIL SCHMID, Researcher at Dunhuang Academy
"So many cultures came together in Dunhuang over a thousand years and we see that there's a kind of harmony in the caves where all these cultures in a single cave are depicted on the wall. There's a kind of harmony and it's not some zero-sum perception of cultures and cultural interaction."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): KIRILL SOLONIN, Professor at Renmin University of China
"It is a universal, cultural heritage of humanity. Relics from Dunhuang, the unearthed documents and murals, have critical significance for many different fields. They are indispensable for the study of history including Buddhist history, cultural history, and political history."
   
Dunhuang, with a population of just 200,000, welcomed over 7.24 million visitors from January to late September, up 21.54 percent year on year, according to the local culture and tourism bureau.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lanzhou, China.
(XHTV)