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Radiance of Dunhuang
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YU Yougen, Education Consul of the
Chinese Consulate General in New York |
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Radiance of Dunhuang
Tsinghua University
Academy of Arts & Design
Exhibition of Dunhuang Art and Design
Achievements
Special Presentation at the
United Nations Headquarters, New York
Report and Pictures: Black Tie
International Magazine
Gerard Mc Keon/Feng Chen |
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敦耀光华：清华大学美术学院敦煌艺术研究及设计成果展
在纽约联合国总部开幕
Radiance of Dunhuang
Opening of the Exhibition of Dunhuang Art Research and Design Achievements
by Tsinghua University Academy of Fine
Arts
United Nations Headquarters, New York
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2025年12月8日，“敦耀光华：清华大学美术学院敦煌艺术研究及设计成果展”在美国纽约联合国总部弧形走廊隆重开幕。本次展览由清华大学美术学院、联合国中国书会和北美清华校友会联合会共同主办，清华大学美术学院染织服装艺术设计系与北美清华美院校友会承办。 |
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On December 8, 2025, the exhibition
entitled “Radiance of Dunhuang:
Exhibition of Dunhuang Art Research and
Design Achievements by Tsinghua
University Academy of Fine Arts” had a
grand opening in the Curved Wall
exhibition area of the United Nations
Headquarters in New York, United States.
Co-organized by the Academy of Arts &
Design of Tsinghua University, the
United Nations SRC Chinese Book Club,
and the North America Federation of
Tsinghua Alumni Associations, the
exhibition was cohosted by the
Department of Textile & Fashion Design
at the Academy of Arts & Design of
Tsinghua University and the North
America Tsinghua Alumni Association of
the Academy of Arts & Design. |
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继2024年10月在法国巴黎中国文化中心成功举办后，本次展览作为国际巡展的第二站，再次聚焦敦煌主题。展览汇集了庞薰琹、常沙娜、陈汉民、刘巨德等前辈艺术家的经典力作，以及清华大学美术学院师生、校友最新创作的服装、绘画、影像及虚拟艺术作品。此外，现场还展出了敦煌壁画临摹、服饰研究与图案资料整理等珍贵的专著文献。 |
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Following its successful debut at the
Chinese Cultural Center in Paris, France
in October 2024, the current exhibition
represents the second stop of its
international tour, once again
spotlighting the Dunhuang theme. The
exhibition brings together classic
masterpieces by pioneering artists such
as Pang Xunqin, Chang Shana, Chen Hanmin,
and Liu Judé, alongside the latest
creations in apparel, painting, video,
and virtual art by faculty, students,
and alumni of Tsinghua University’s
Academy of Fine Arts. Additionally, at
the venue a display of valuable
specialized publications including
Dunhuang mural reproductions, costume
research materials, and archived
patterns. |
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开幕式上，中国驻纽约总领事馆教育处教育参赞余有根在致辞中表示，敦煌是人类文明共享的文化宝库。此次展览以敦煌艺术为纽带，向世界展示了中国高校在文化遗产研究与艺术设计领域的深厚积淀与实践成果。他高度肯定了清华大学美术学院在敦煌艺术研究中的重要贡献，并指出在联合国举办此类展览，是从教育视角促进文明互鉴与中外文化交流的有力举措，有助于推动各国青年通过艺术增进理解与友谊。 |
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At the opening ceremony, Mr. Yu Yougen,
Education Consul of the Chinese
Consulate General in New York, stated
that Dunhuang is a shared cultural
treasure trove of human civilization.
This exhibition, using Dunhuang art as a
common thread, showcases the profound
heritage and achievements from practice
of Chinese universities in cultural
heritage research and artistic design.
He highly commended the significant
contributions of the Academy of Arts &
Design of Tsinghua University in
Dunhuang art research, noting that
hosting such an exhibition at the United
Nations is a powerful initiative to
promote mutual learning among
civilizations and cultural exchange
between China and other countries from
an educational perspective. It helps
foster understanding and friendship
among young people worldwide through
art. |
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清华大学美术学院副院长王小茉在致辞中强调，以艺术设计服务国家民生，在使命中践行文化传承创新，是学院七十年来持续坚守的学术传统。本次展览系统呈现了学院在敦煌研究方面的教学与科研成果，特别是在新时代背景下对人工智能、数字技术、虚拟时尚等前沿领域的探索。她希望以此为契机，进一步提升学院的国际影响力。 |
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In her address, Ms. Wang Xiaomo, Vice
Dean of the Academy of Arts & Design,
emphasized that serving national welfare
through art and design while pursuing
cultural inheritance and innovation in
its mission has been the academy’s
enduring academic tradition over seven
decades. This exhibition systematically
presents the academy’s teaching and
research achievements in Dunhuang
studies, particularly its explorations
in cutting-edge fields like AI, digital
technology, and virtual fashion within
the context of the new era. She
expressed the hope that this event would
serve as an opportunity to further
enhance the academy’s international
influence. |
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联合国书会会长周廷华盛赞清华美院此次展览以敦煌为题，融合艺术与科技，展现中国艺术教育的开放格局与时代精神。 他强调，此次展览是一座文化桥梁，期盼通过艺术这一共通的语言，让更多国际友人走近敦煌，领略中华文明的深邃与璀璨，并以此为契机，推动各方在艺术、教育与文化领域开启更富成效的对话与合作。 |
Ms. Zhou Tinghua, President of the
United Nations UNSRC Book Club, highly
praised the exhibition by Tsinghua
Academy of Fine Arts for choosing
Dunhuang as a theme, integrating art and
technology to showcase the open approach
and contemporary spirit of Chinese art
education. She emphasized that this
exhibition serves as a cultural bridge
and expressed the hope that through the
universal language of art, more
international friends would approach
Dunhuang to appreciate the profound and
brilliant Chinese civilization. She also
expressed the hope that this exhibition
would serve as an opportunity to promote
more fruitful dialogue and cooperation
among all parties in the fields of art,
education, and culture.
Mr. Ren Gang, representing the North
America Federation of Tsinghua Alumni
Associations, also spoke at the opening. |
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联合国中国书会、北美清华校友会联合会代表，以及清华大学美术学院副院长李迎军、王小茉，染织服装艺术设计系副主任吴波，教授李薇，博士生与硕士生代表共同出席了开幕式。来自中、美、英、意等国的嘉宾莅临现场，共同见证了这一艺术盛事。 |
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Present at the opering ceremony were
representatives from many UN member
states, UN staff, members of the UNSRC
Chinese Book Club and the North American
Federation of Tsinghua Alumni
Associations alongside vice deans Li
Yingjun and Wang Xiaomo, Associate
Director of the Textile and Fashion
Design Department Wu Bo, Professor Li
Wei, and doctoral and master's student
representatives from the Academy of Arts
and Design,Tsinghua University. |
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开幕式后，策展人李迎军为嘉宾进行了专业导览。本次展览共展出作品及文献八十余套（部）。呈现了跨越两个时期在敦煌艺术研究与设计传承上的代表性成果，体现出清华大学美术学院师生与校友对敦煌艺术文化的守正创新。第一个时期为20世纪40至80年代，庞薰琹、常沙娜、陈汉民、刘巨德等前辈艺术家进行了壁画临摹、图案整理、艺术研究，设计创作等。他们的作品开创了以现代艺术设计传承敦煌艺术，服务国家需求的优良传统，充分展现了传承中华优秀传统文化的探索精神，对学院乃至中国现代艺术设计教育产生了深远影响。第二个时期涵盖近20年间的中青年教师、新生代学生及校友的探索实践。他们以敦煌艺术为母题，从多角度进行创作，既运用织、染、绣等中国传统非遗技艺，也结合3D打印、AIGC等现代科技手段，作品涵盖绘画、服装、建筑、纺织品、雕塑、虚拟艺术等多个门类，充分展现了学院在敦煌艺术研究与传承上的深度与广度，以及在当代语境下的多元演绎与创新活力。 |
Following the opening ceremony,
Professor Li Yingjun, the curator, led
the guests on a professional guided
tour. The exhibition features over 80
sets of works and documents, showcasing
representative achievements in Dunhuang
art research and design inheritance that
span two eras. It embodies the
commitment to both preserving traditions
and pursuing innovation in Dunhuang art
and culture by the faculty, students,
and alumni of the Academy. The first
period spans the 1940s to 1980s during
which pioneering artists such as Pang
Xunqin, Chang Shana, Chen Hanmin, and
Liu Judé engaged in mural copying,
pattern cataloging, artistic research,
and design creation.
Their works established a distinguished
tradition of preserving Dunhuang art
through modern design to serve national
needs, fully demonstrating an
exploratory spirit in inheriting China’s
outstanding traditional culture. This
legacy has had a profound influence on
the Academy and modern art design
education across China. The second
period covers nearly two decades of
exploratory practices by middle-aged and
young faculty, students, and alumni of a
new generation. Taking Dunhuang art as
their thematic foundation, they have
approached creation from multiple
angles—employing traditional Chinese
intangible cultural heritage techniques
like weaving, dyeing, and embroidery
while integrating modern technologies
such as 3D printing and AIGC. Their
works encompass painting, fashion,
architecture, textiles, sculpture, and
virtual art. This demonstrates the depth
and breadth of the Academy’s research
and preservation of Dunhuang art, along
with its diverse interpretations and
innovative vitality within contemporary
contexts.
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Consul YU Yougen, AAD vice deans, UNSRC
Chinese Book Club president
& Tsinghua alums |
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Mr. Yu Yougen, Education Consul of the
Chinese Consulate General in New York |
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Xiaoman Zhang, Vice President of UN
Chinese Book Club
officiating the opening ceremony |
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WANG Xiaomo, Vice Dean of the Academy of
Arts & Design,
Tsinghua University |
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Tinghua Zhou, President of the United
Nations Chinese Book Club |
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Gang
Ren, President of North America
Federation of Tsinghua
Alumni Associations |
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Vice Dean LI Yingjun and Prof. Feng Chen
conducting
an exhibition tour for UN VIPs |
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Hosts & guests viewing volumes of
costume paintings
from the Dunhuang Grottos published by
the Academy |
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WU Bo, Vice Chair, Department of Textile
& Fashion Design of
the Academy, after presenting her 3D creations |
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Appreciating “Mao
porcelain” plates |
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Gerard Mc Keon, Publisher, Black Tie
International Magazine
with LI Yingjun, Vice Dean of the
Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua |
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Prof. Feng Chen of UN Chinese Book Club
& Wall Street Club
with a classical cloisonné enamel plate
with peace dove motif |
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Vice Dean LI Yingjun in front of scarves
of Dunhuang design |
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Vice Dean LI Yingjun
and Prof. Feng Chen
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The
Tsinghua University Academy of Arts &
Design delegation
and the UNSRC Chinese Book Club |
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A model displaying Dunhuang Fantasy ̶ a
silk garment with velvet embossing and
lining inspired by the Mogao King of
Heaven statue. Artist: LIU Yuanfeng |
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A model displaying
Kalavinka on
the Silk Road, an
embroidered sheepskin leatherwear
with motifs merging mythical birds with
Tang-style scrolling patterns. Created
by WEN Xin,
HU Lisha, and HAN Hengyu.
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Guests
in front of scarves designed with
inspirations from Mogao Caves murals
featuring iconic motifs of flying
apsaras and lotus floral patterns |
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Appreciating “Mao
porcelain” plates |
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Vice Deans LI Yingjun & WANG Xiaomo with
guests |
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View of the exhibition |
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View of the exhibition |
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View of the exhibition |
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View of the exhibition |
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Tang Lady in Red Ribbon
Dance by Prof. PANG
Xunqin
庞薰琹《唐仕女红带舞》（复制品），1942 |
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Dunhuang Grottos mural copy and study:
Illustration of the Contemplation Sutra
of Amitayus by CHANG Shana (age 15);
date: 1946
常沙娜，《莫高窟盛唐第72窟观无量寿经变临摹》（复制品），1946 |
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: Cloisonné Enamel Dish with Peace Dove
Motif by CHANG Shana,
1952 (a national gift inspired by Sui-dynasty dome motifs)
常沙娜，《景泰蓝和平鸽大盘》，1952 |
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Nine-colored Dear, story-book
illustration by LIU Jude, 1980s
刘巨德，《九色鹿》（复制品），20世纪80年代 |
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Dunhuang Impressions, costume by LIU
Yuanfeng, 2018
刘元风，《敦煌意象》，2018 |
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Dunhuang
UNESCO
Silk Road Programme |
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https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/content/dunhuang |
The city of Dunhuang, in
north-west China, is situated at a point
of vital strategic and logistical
importance, on a crossroads of two major
trade routes within the Silk Road
network. Lying in an oasis at the edge
of the Taklamakan Desert, Dunhuang was
one of the first trading cities
encountered by merchants arriving in
China from the west. It was also an
ancient site of Buddhist religious
activity, and was a popular destination
for pilgrims, as well as acting as a
garrison town protecting the region. The
remarkable Mogao Caves, a collection of
nearly 500 caves in the cliffs to the
south of the city, contain the largest
depositary of historic documents along
the Silk Roads and bear witness to the
cultural, religious, social and
commercial activity that took place in
Dunhuang across the first millennium.
The city changed hands many times over
its long history, but remained a vibrant
hub of exchange until the 11th century,
after which its role in Silk Road trade
began to decline.
The Silk Road routes from China to the
west passed to the north and south of
the Taklamakan Desert, and Dunhuang lay
on the junction where these two routes
came together. Additionally, the city
lies near the western edge of the Gobi
Desert, and north of the Mingsha Sand
Dunes (whose name means ‘gurgling sand’,
a reference to the noise of the wind
over the dunes), making Dunhuang a vital
resting point for merchants and pilgrims
travelling through the region from all
directions. As such, Dunhuang played a
key role in the passage of Silk Road
trade to and from China, and over the
course of the first millennium AD, was
one of the most important cities to grow
up on these routes. Dunhuang initially
acted as a garrison town protecting the
region and its trade routes, and a
commandery was established there in the
2nd century BC by the Chinese Han
dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). A number of
ancient passes, such as the Yü Guan or
"Jade Gate" and the Yang Guan, or
"Southern Gate", illustrate the
strategic importance of the city and its
position on what amounted to a medieval
highway across the deserts.
The history of this ancient Silk Road
city is reflected in the Mogao Caves,
also known as the Qianfodong (the Caves
of the Thousand Buddhas), an astonishing
collection of 492 caves that were dug
into the cliffs just south of the city.
The first caves were founded in 366 AD
by Buddhist monks, and distinguished
Dunhuang as a centre for Buddhist
learning, drawing large numbers of
pilgrims to the city. Monks and pilgrims
often travelled via the Silk Roads, and
indeed a number of religions, including
Buddhism, spread into areas around the
trading routes in this way. There were
some 15 Buddhist monasteries in the city
by the 10th century, and the latest
caves were carved sometime in the 13th
or 14th century. The city also lay on
the pilgrim route from Tibet to the
sacred Mount Wutai. The caves were
painted with Buddhist imagery, and their
construction would have been an
intensely religious process, involving
prayers, incense and ritual fasting. The
earliest wall paintings date back to the
5th century AD, with the older paintings
showing scenes from the Buddha’s life,
whilst those built after 600 AD depict
scenes from Buddhist texts.
The Mogao Caves illustrate not only the
religious importance of Dunhuang
however, but also its significance as a
centre of cultural and commercial
exchange. One of the caves, known as the
‘library cave’, contains as many as
40,000 scrolls, a depositary of
documents that is of enormous value in
understanding the cultural diversity of
this Silk Road city. The earliest text
is dated to 405 AD, whilst the latest
dates to 1002 AD. The arrangement of
documents in this library cave suggests
that they were deliberately stored
there, and it seems likely that the
local monasteries used the cave as a
store room. They provide a picture of
Dunhuang as a vibrant hub of Silk Road
trade, and give an indication of the
range of goods that were exchanged in
the city. According to these documents,
a large number of imports arrived from
as far away as north-east Europe.
Interestingly, the scrolls that mention
merchant caravans are usually written in
Sogdian, Uighur, or Turco-Sogdian,
indicating that they were produced by
the foreign traders in the city. The
range of imported goods included brocade
and silk from Persia, metal-ware,
fragrances, incense and a variety of
precious stones, such as lapis lazuli
(from north eastern Afghanistan), agate
(from India), amber (from north east
Europe), coral (from the ocean) and
pearl (usually from Sri Lanka). Dunhuang
was not simply a recipient of trade
however, and had a very active export
market too. The scrolls refer to a large
number of goods that were produced in
city and its surrounding regions and
sold to merchants, including silks of
many varieties, cotton, wool, fur, tea,
ceramics, medicine, fragrances, jade,
camels, sheep, dye, dried fruits, tools,
and embroidery. This unique view of the
imports and exports from the markets of
Dunhuang illustrates the vibrancy of
Silk Road trade along the routes into
western China.
Additionally, although they were
collected and stored by Buddhist monks,
these scrolls shed light on the many
different religions and languages in
Dunhuang across the first millennium. In
addition to Buddhist texts, Zoroastrian,
Manichee, Eastern Christian, Daoist, and
Jewish documents can be found in this
collection, suggesting that communities
of many different religions lived side
by side in the city. Although the
majority of the scrolls are in Chinese
and Tibetan, there are also texts in
Sanskrit, Khotanese, Uighur, and Sogdian,
as well as one Hebrew prayer, folded and
carried in a small purse and probably
worn as a talisman by a traveller or
merchant. These were all languages of
the traders who travelled to Dunhuang
from the surrounding regions, and their
storage in the Mogao Caves suggests that
these foreign trading communities were a
vital part of the city’s social
structure and of the wider, cosmopolitan
community.
Crafts and skills also moved along the
Silk Roads as traders and craftsmen met
and exchanged notes, and a small number
of scrolls in the Mogao Caves illustrate
the use of woodblock printing in
Dunhuang, a technique that originated in
China in the early 8th century. The most
famous text in the library cave, the
Diamond Sutra, which dates to 868 AD,
was made using this technique and is the
first complete printed book in the
world. Woodblock printing would later
spread across Asia, as traders passed on
knowledge and ideas that they had
acquired whilst travelling the Silk
Roads.
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