The Dunhuang Summer Fair kicked off on July 18 at the Shazhou Night Market, where the Xuanquanzhi Ruins scenic area brought Silk Road, ancient postal, and bamboo-slip cultures to life.

The site's operator used immersive, scene-based presentations to bring the heritage out of its archaeological setting and into the city streets, offering visitors a fresh cultural tourism experience.

The fair's Xuanquanzhi-themed space featured distinctive cultural elements, including creative bamboo-slip exhibits and live performances by actors portraying historical figures. These reenactments vividly depicted Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) postal management, messenger communications, and merchant travel.

Calligraphers gave live demonstrations of ancient bamboo-slip script, and a photo wall drew many onlookers. A mini classroom on Xuanquanzhi was also set up, allowing visitors to learn about bamboo-slip records and postal history.

As night fell, the distinctive Xuanquanzhi setting became one of the fair’s most popular attractions, earning widespread praise from visitors.

Visitors said that they could appreciate slip displays, learn about post station stories along the Silk Road, and rest while experiencing a sense of time overlapping between ancient history and modern life.