A stage photo from a major show in Dunhuang. [Photo/Gansu Daily]

Dunhuang, a county-level city in Jiuquan, Gansu province, has vitalized its millennia-old culture through four signature theatrical productions in recent years.

These include the large-scale immersive cave experience Ancient Sound of Dunhuang, the indoor situational drama Encore Dunhuang, the situational musical Thousand-Hands and Thousand -Eyes, and the desert-set live-action performance Dunhuang Spectacular.

Over the past five years, these performances have collectively staged 7,943 shows, attracting approximately 3.76 million visits. This sustained popularity has provided visitors with direct access to Dunhuang's cultural heritage while also generating significant tourism revenue.

The shows employ modern technologies like 8K projection and holographic imaging to animate the ancient art of Dunhuang.