Celebrate Heritage Day with an immersive Dunhuang culture journey

Whether you are an art enthusiast, a history buff, or a casual visitor, the Dunhuang Culture and Art Exhibition currently running in the Chinese capital offers an unparalleled opportunity to celebrate Cultural and Natural Heritage Day on June 14, the second Saturday of the month, while sipping up a sliver of history.

At the heart of the exhibition lies a replica of Cave 217 from the Mogao Grottoes, unveiled to the world for the first time. Its murals vividly depict bustling market scenes from the "Golden Age" of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), offering a glimpse into the daily life, commerce and cultural vibrancy of one of the most prosperous eras in Chinese history. The exhibition extends beyond a single cave to feature a total of nine replicated caves, as well as nearly 300 meticulously reproduced murals, sculptures, and authentic relics.

The ongoing event at the Beijing Exhibition Center promises to deliver "the most complete Dunhuang experience outside the Mogao Grottoes itself." Running until October this year, the event boasts the longest duration, the largest number of replica caves, and the richest collection of exhibits ever assembled in the capital.

At the launch of the exhibition in March, Gong Jiajia, an official representing the Gansu Provincial culture and tourism authorities, emphasized the organizer's aim of breathing new life into Dunhuang's millennium-old art, to allow visitors to admire Dunhuang-inspired fashion – a testament to the enduring elegance of ancient Chinese attire – and also engage with interactive shows like "Melodies of Dunhuang."

Beyond the art itself, the exhibition has sparked a cultural craze among visitors, which extends to the venue's themed merchandise. The venue's first floor café has become a viral hotspot, offering four specialty Dunhuang-inspired coffee styles, including a standout latte art design featuring a Flying Apsara motif. Visitors are flocking there to take a social-media-worthy snapshot before their first sip.

This year's heritage day carries the theme of "revitalizing cultural heritage to showcase new brilliance" for the cultural relics and museology sector. The ongoing event perfectly embodies this ideal, blending ancient traditions with contemporary engagement to ensure that cultural heritage continues to remain vibrant and relevant.