Published : 2025-08-01
In ancient China, Dunhuang was hailed as a glittering pearl on the ancient Silk Road. It was once a vital transportation hub on the Eurasian continent and a world-renowned treasure trove of art and culture.
From now until November, Shenzhen's Nanshan Museum is hosting the largest Dunhuang cultural and art exhibition in the history of South China. What are the unique features of this exhibition?
Largest-ever in South China
The Dunhuang exhibition at the Shenzhen Nanshan Museum brings together 205 sets of precious exhibits, including 1:1 digital restorations of six major protected caves, over 80 sets of valuable original relics, more than 60 copied murals, and 4 copied coloured sculptures.
Among them are numerous national treasures, including two previously unopened caves, making their debut exhibition in the Greater Bay Area.
It is hailed as the largest Dunhuang cultural and art exhibition in South China in terms of scale, richness of exhibits, and the number of relics.
The exhibition is divided into six themes, integrating physical and multimedia displays to comprehensively present the profound cultural connotations of Dunhuang.
1:1 Restoration of six major caves
One of the highlights is the use of technology for 1:1 restoration of six major protected caves, each cave presenting its unique charm.
Among the six caves, Cave 3 and Cave 285 are normally closed to the public. This marks their first-ever public unveiling, allowing visitors to glimpse their mysterious splendour.
Cave 275, one of the earliest caves in the Mogao Grottoes, has been digitally replicated in its entirety for the first time, while Cave 320 exhibited replicated mural art featuring the entire cave—both truly extraordinary masterpieces.
Cave 158 from the middle Tang period of the Mogao Grottoes, at 14 metres long in a reclining position, is hailed as the "most beautiful Nirvana Buddha."
Due to its colossal size, Nanshan Museum even closed for an entire day for its installation.
Lastly, Cave 17, the "Library Cave" (藏經洞), is a small cave yet capable of housing over 70,000 shocking world-precious relics.
This is the first time the complete digital representation of the cave is showcased in the Greater Bay Area—an absolute must-see.
60 Exquisite replica masterpieces
Another highlight is that there are many rare exhibits.
Wandering through the exhibition hall, the reproduced murals displayed on the walls are magnificently exquisite.
They cover all kinds of subjects of Mogao Grottoes murals, sketching the grand atmosphere of Dunhuang art.
Most of the reproduced murals exhibited this time were traced by the predecessor artists of the Dunhuang Academy in the 1940s and 1950s, with some reproductions having a history of 60 to 70 years.
These include more than 60 precious copies by veteran artists such as Chang Shuhong and Duan Wenjie of the Dunhuang Academy, along with over 80 pieces/sets of rare authentic relics.
These rare exhibits are seldom seen.
Immersive VR for Dunhuang artifacts
The interactive games section provides an interesting angle for visitors to experience Dunhuang.
Dunhuang Academy and Tencent jointly created a digital output of Mogao Cave 285, utilising technology to achieve millimetre-level high-precision restoration of the cave.
Through 4K high-definition screens, audiences can interact with the game and enter the artistic world of thousand-year-old murals.
The "Yijian Dunhuang" interactive area in the atrium on the second floor of Nanshan Museum offers over 30 AI-generated Dunhuang-themed costumes for visitors to freely choose from and take digital photos on-site.
There are also many themed lectures offered by well-known Dunhuang scholars, together with workshops like mural restoration, movable type printing, and other experiential courses for people to experience.
This exhibition is jointly organised by the Dunhuang Academy and the Nanshan District People's Government of Shenzhen, and co-hosted by the Dunhuang Cave Art Preservation Research and Exhibition Centre, Nanshan Museum in Shenzhen, and Jiuse Deer Cultural Arts Communication (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
This grand event, which blends art with culture and tradition with innovation, is stirring up a frenzy of Dunhuang culture in the Greater Bay Area.
Dunhuang Splendors: Culture and Art Exhibition of Mogao Grottoes
Date: July 26, 2025, to November 23, 2025
Venue: Special Exhibition Hall No. 2, Second Floor, Nanshan Museum, Shenzhen
Transportation: Line 1 or 12 to Taoyuan Station, Exit B
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday, Sunday 10:00-18:00; Saturday 10:00-21:00
Admission: RMB 98 for adults, RMB 68 for students
Reservation: Sessions need to be booked in advance via the "Nanshan Cultural and Sports Pass" mini programme
Read more: K11 ECOAST: a new cultural and retail landmark in Shenzhen
