By integrating ancient Dunhuang culture with modern life, Dunhuang cultural and creative products have become increasingly well-received in recent years, which not only help in the revival of ancient cultural heritage, but also revive ancient Dunhuang culture.

Dunhuang, famous for its grottoes and murals, is situated on the Silk Road and was a main artery that connected ancient China with Central Asia and Europe. Once a prosperous hub for business, Dunhuang also boasts the World Heritage Mogao Grottoes, Yumen Pass and Yangguan Pass.

At the end of 2018, the Dunhuang Academy of China set up a new media center to excavate multiple treasures of the Mogao Grottoes, explore the innovative transformation of Dunhuang cultural values, and to promote Dunhuang’s culture and stories through innovative communication content and new methods.

In recent years, the management organization of the Mogao Grottoes has been taking high-tech measures towards the digitization of ancient cultural heritage. Additionally, many social groups have also developed various innovative ways to connect ancient Dunhuang culture with modern life. A number of original IP brands have become best-selling cultural and creative products.

Recently, a half-month long Chinese brands promotion campaign was held in Lanzhou, capital of Guansu province. Classic collections from the Dunhuang Museum vividly displayed a banquet of scenes of Dunhuang. Visitors could also participate in the making processes of traditional artworks and experience how a piece of artwork was produced.

Two years ago, the Dunhuang Museum authorized the Gansu Silk Road Souvenir Cultural Communication Co to produce cultural and creative products such as scarves, mouse pads and mobile phone cases, which were well-received by consumers. One piece in particular, a skateboard themed Dunhuang Museum in Silk Road cultural style, was soon in short supply and was trending on Weibo.

Last year, Silk Road Souvenir opened Dunhuang-themed restaurants in 8 cities, including: Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Xi'an. These restaurants have been well-received and have become popular local sites. The original Dunhuang themed makeup created by Silk Road Souvenir and Carslan was praised as the most beautiful makeup of 2020 by netizens.

This year, a themed cultural and creative exhibition, the 2021 Cultural Capital of East Asia · China Dunhuang Event Year, exhibited 9 series, totaling 60 categories, of Dunhuang-themed cultural and creative products, as well as replicas of exquisite murals collected in the British Museum, Musée Guimet and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which provided visitors with a cultural experience of Dunhuang.

"The best way to protect traditional culture is to make it popular again," said He Xiaoshan, a senior executive of Silk Road Souvenir. He said that Dunhuang's cultural and creative IP conveys cultural values in a new form, so that people can get a more in-depth awareness, and is the best way to encourage its inheritance.

According to Liu Xiaxia, general manager of Dunhuang Arts and Crafts Cultural Creative Co., said Dunhuang's cultural IP was the Mogao Grottoes. Nowadays, with the development of Dunhuang culture, there will be a number of new Dunhuang cultural IPs that will produce new cultural content and products.

"But it still needs to set up a systematized IP, authorized and operational systems, and make new standards for Dunhuang cultural IP," Liu added.

Liu believes that when Dunhuang cultural and creative products are accelerating to the global stage, artists interested in Dunhuang culture should be introduced and attracted to reside in Dunhuang to create more artistic work and content.

In May 2021, the activity "Journey to explore the museum" is held in Lanzhou, Gansu province. [Photo by He Xiaoshan/Chinanews.com]

The performance of Dunhuang dance [Photo by He Xiaoshan/Chinanews.com]

The themed cultural and creative exhibition, 2021 Cultural Capital of East Asia · China Dunhuang Event Year, in April 2021 [Photo by He Xiaoshan/Chinanews.com]

Dunhuang cultural and creative products [Photo by He Xiaoshan/Chinanews.com]