Modern tech saves China's UNESCO caves

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A thousand years of accumulated artistry makes Mogao Caves stand out from other historical sites. Here, the art tells a story and life is preserved in the paint.

- Yu Qiuyu, Chinese writer

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The magnificent land of Buddha, the merciful Bodhisattva, the dynamic Apsaras, the gorgeous ornamentation — everything about Dunhuang could take a visitors’ breath away.

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The mystery in northwest China, the grand gallery in the desert, the incomparable art, and extensive and profound culture helped the site become a popular tourist attraction.

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As the number of tourists increases, the narrow caves and the fragile frescoes have been overworked. Tourism has become the biggest potential hazard for the Mogao Caves. Every visitor brings a change to the temperature, humidity and even atmosphere in the cave, which could result in speeding up the aging of the frescoes.

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Compared to images taken in 1940, evidence of decay can already be found on the pieces. Their beauty was ruined by time and could not be restored, even under professional maintenance and repair.

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“There are six standards for World Cultural Heritages, and only two places in the world could meet them all: Venice and Mogao Caves. We must protect Mogao Caves for the country. But we are losing them as time goes by,” said Fan Jinshi, honorary president of Dunhuang Research Academy. Fan wants to let more people know that the treasure is suffering from multiple hazards and it will eventually disappear.

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How can these treasures of art stand the test of time? Restricting the number of visitors is not a permanent solution. However, Fan realized that the use of modern technology could help.

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Dunhuang Research Academy spent four years and 300 million RMB (roughly 44 million US dollars) to create a project called “Digital Dunhuang.” It gathers, processes and saves Dunhuang frescoes and painted sculptures with digital technology to achieve the permanent preservation of Dunhuang artworks.

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According to Fan, Digital Dunhuang recreates the frescoes in the caves using digital film. Visitors can not only know the history of Mogao Caves, but also enjoy and worship the Dunhuang artworks in the cinema, which will bring about a better experience and clearer view than being inside the caves.

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The development of Digital Dunhuang shows visitors the charm of art in another way and shortens the visiting time of the tourists inside the actual caves. This could help preserve the frescoes for years to come.

Perhaps, we should be grateful, as we can still see the beauty of these treasures before it is too late and they disappear.

This story is one in "The 1.3 Billion" series exploring the diverse lives that make up China.