A Journey Through a Thousand Years！Dunhuang Meets Yi Embroidery

A Journey Through a Thousand Years! When Dunhuang Meets Yi Embroidery——An Exclusive Report on Cultural and Natural Heritage Day

Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, a cultural treasure of China and a world cultural heritage, has been standing in the Gobi Desert of the west for thousands of years, overlooking the ancient Silk Road and witnessing the exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign cultures.

Yi Embroidery, a national intangible cultural heritage, is an ancient craftsmanship spreading across the Yi ethnic region in southwest China, dating back to over 1700 years. Stitch by stitch, it bears witness to the ethnic group’s historical development and aesthetic preferences.

On June 6th, students of Southeast University performed a flash mob “Dunhuang Acting Bodhisattvas & Yi Embroidery Costumes”.

On June 6th this year, Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes and Yi Embroidery, in collaboration, made their way into the campus of Southeast University and made a stunning appearance with two high-level art exhibitions, presenting a profound cultural gift to the university as it was celebrating its 122nd anniversary.

“Thousands of Years of Mogao Grottoes, Thousands of Miles of Silk Road” ——is the theme of the Dunhuang fine art mural university public welfare tour exhibition. The exhibition presented the fruits of decades of digital conservation efforts by the Dunhuang Academy, including over 50 murals. The meticulous restoration ensures that every detail is replicated to perfection. Visitors feel like they are actually at the original site when standing in the three restored caves, which is truly breathtaking.

The theme of the Yi Embroidery exhibition is “Let Me Show You Dunhuang in the Form of Embroidery”. The diverse exhibits include musical instruments restored based on the murals, such as the Táo Gǔ (an ancient Chinese rattle) and the Shù Kōnghóu (an ancient plucked string instrument), as well as hand drums and music boxes embroidered with patterns of the Shēng (a traditional Chinese wind instrument) and the Zhēng (a traditional Chinese zither). Furthermore, the exquisite mural “The Story of the Deer King” and the nine-color deer embroidered on cloth household items are also featured. Lastly, the exhibition showcases the restoration of Cave 3, known as the final masterpiece of the Mogao Grottoes, and presents the traditional Yi Embroidery with its unique sunk panel patterns.

The profound Dunhuang culture and the vivid fingertip art of Yi Embroidery, empowered by digital technology, traverse thousands of years to collide and blend, sparking new inspiration for the inheritance and innovation of China’s excellent traditional culture.

Southeast University serves as a bridge connecting these two cultural heritages. For over a decade, the university has been intellectually supporting Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Shifting from “blood transfusion” (direct aid) to “hematopoiesis” (self-sustainability), and from economic to cultural assistance, Nanhua County has not only lifted itself out of poverty, but also earned the reputation as the “Kingdom of Wild Mushrooms”. Meanwhile, Yi Embroidery products have made their way from Yunnan to the global market, and the Yi embroiderers, with their dexterous hands, have embroidered a happy life for themselves.

Fan Jinshi, Honorary President of Dunhuang Academy (in the middle of the front row) posed with teachers and students of School of Architecture of Southeast University

The cooperation between the School of Architecture and the Dunhuang Academy originated from a faculty member who returned from studying in Japan. While in Japan, he followed his advisor in studying the preservation of Dunhuang frescos, thereby forming a deep connection with Dunhuang. Over the past decade, from research on predicting and regulating the preservation environment of cultural heritage to student practical activities, the ties of exchange and cooperation between the two parties have grown stronger.

Photo of teachers and students of  School of Art of Southeast University

With enthusiasm and creativity, teachers and students of School of Art of Southeast University used modern knowledge and technology to re-create the artistic image elements of Dunhuang murals in combination with the features of Yi embroidery. The embroidery artists in Nanhua, Yunnan Province, used their needles and silk threads to bring the beauty of Dunhuang into the lives of ordinary people, so that the ancient art has been full of new vitality and skillfully integrated into modern life.

When Dunhuang intersected with Yi Embroidery, their integration not only elevated the added value of Yi Embroidery products but also disseminated the artistic allure of Dunhuang. While bridging the gap between cultural heritage and the general public, they also caught the attention of young students, inspiring them to boldly experiment and confidently stride forward on the path of cultural inheritance and innovation.

The two exhibitions were warmly welcomed by teachers and students of Southeast University. There were also international students from many countries in the audience. In recent years, the College of International Students of Southeast University has led international students to visit Nanhua County, Yunnan Province, to immerse them in the traditional skills of Yi Embroidery, and to appreciate the allure of China’s countryside and intangible cultural heritage. Many students fell in love with this craft from the heart, and thus deepened their understanding of the excellent traditional Chinese culture. There were also students who used the lens to record their gains and narrate the story of China’s intangible cultural heritage to the world.

Art knows no borders, and communication promotes mutual learning. Innovation and creation are the best ways to inherit culture. The ancient and profound cultural treasures are painting a colorful picture of shared beauty with a new attitude and vigorous vitality. 

Digital technology lights up the future. Over the years, in partnership with various institutions, Dunhuang Academy has leveraged digital technology comprehensively to empower the protection of cultural heritage such as the Mogao Grottoes, and breathed fresh digital life into these ancient treasures, so that more people can appreciate the beauty of our cultural heritage. The ongoing advancement of artificial intelligence technology promises to unlock new opportunities and boundless possibilities for the preservation, continuation and reinvention of our cultural heritage. Let us look forward to it.

Cultural heritage is the common wealth left to mankind by our ancestors. It is imperative to preserve cultural artifacts and transmit intangible cultural heritage, so as to sustain historical and cultural continuity. Ensuring the continuous thriving of Chinese civilization is our shared responsibility and mission.

Today is the 2024 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. Borrowing the words written by Fan Jinshi to young students to encourage everyone: “We should inherit and carry forward the ‘Mogao Spirit’ fostered by the older generation who dedicated themselves to Mogao Grottoes, and continue to pursue greater openness, innovation and excellence. We must promote the creative transformation and innovative development of the fine traditional Chinese culture represented by Dunhuang culture in the new era, thereby making new and greater contributions to the cultural advancement of our country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

                    ——Fan Jinshi, Honorary President of Dunhuang Academy