Performers give an interactive performance in Dunhuang. [Photo/Gansu Daily]

Located at the eastern foot of Mingsha Mountain, about 25 kilometers southeast of Dunhuang, the Mogao Grottoes feature over 735 caves built along a 1,600-meter cliff from the 4th to 14th centuries.

In recent years, relevant authorities have used technology to expand the reach of Dunhuang culture. By recreating caves, applying digital art, and using digital technologies, a new cultural experience space has been built that connects historical narrative, digital art, and immersive environments.

Inside this space, five carefully designed immersive areas bring the ancient Silk Road to life. A full-scale replica of Cave 285, the earliest dated cave in the Mogao Grottoes, displays colorful murals that tell stories of civilizational exchange.

In one area focused on craftsmanship, visitors can grind and mix lapis lazuli to experience the process of restoring mural colors. Another area explores traditional crafts such as paper printing, wood carving, and Thangka painting.

With VR technology, visitors become digital travelers guided by a virtual avatar. The VR system fully reproduces the grottoes, allowing visitors to interact with historical characters, solve Dunhuang-related puzzles, and experience murals through haptic feedback.

The digital twin of the Mogao Grottoes breaks physical barriers, turning technology into a medium for preserving civilization across time.

In this new cultural space, advanced conservation technology and immersive storytelling achieve a balanced coexistence, preserving the genetic legacy of civilization for generations to come.