At 8:00 p.m. on May 8 (Sunday), under the guidance of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the original large-scale cultural program "In the Story" was jointly created by the CCTV Comprehensive Channel of the Central Radio and Television Station, CCTV Creation Media and the China National Theater. The third season of "China" will usher in the finale. It tells the story of Fan Jinshi, the honorary president of the Dunhuang Academy and "Daughter of Dunhuang" who has been sticking to the desert for more than half a century, and has exchanged his full hair for the "permanent appearance" of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. This moving story pays tribute to the guardians of Mogao Grottoes from generation to generation.

Three generations inherit the mission of protection

Fan Jinshi's affectionate message to the younger generation of the industry

　　"Choose one thing in one's life, and one thing for the rest of your life" is a true portrayal of the guardians of Mogao Grottoes from generation to generation.

Beginning in the 1940s, Chang Shuhong devoted his life to Dunhuang cultural relics after returning to China after studying in France. He was called "the patron saint of Dunhuang"; Duan Wenjie was attracted by Dunhuang frescoes in an art exhibition, which opened a lifetime of interest in the Mogao Grottoes. Protection, research and promotion; after graduating from the History Department of Peking University, Fan Jinshi resolutely took over the baton from the two predecessors and silently guarded the Mogao Grottoes in the vast desert.

　　In this episode, through the perspectives of Li Ping, director of the Cultural Promotion Department of the Dunhuang Academy, and Gu Chunfang, the only autobiographical author of Fan Jinshi, they will tell how generations of Mogao Grottoes guardians have condensed their practical actions into "stick to the desert, be willing to contribute, have the courage to take responsibility, and forge ahead." "Mogao Spirit".

　　Today, although he has retired for many years, the 84-year-old Fan Jinshi still spends most of his time in Dunhuang every year, working hard to compile the second volume of the Dunhuang Grottoes Archaeological Report.

Li Ping, director of the Cultural Promotion Department of the Dunhuang Academy, has worked with Fan Jinshi for more than 40 years. In her impression, Fan Jinshi's life is very simple, "Most of the time, she works from 7:00 in the morning to 12:00 in the evening. It’s Dunhuang, and I think about Dunhuang when I fall asleep.”

Even during the Spring Festival, Fan Jinshi basically stayed in Dunhuang. She once said: "In fact, the New Year is nothing to me. When I look at the cave, I feel happier than anything else."

　　What is worth looking forward to is that Fan Jinshi will make a surprise appearance in the program connection, lead everyone to experience the charm of the new era of the Millennium Grottoes, and finally send a heartfelt message to the younger generation.

She said: "Hope lies in young people. I find that they are very energetic, love their work, and are creative. I believe they can continue to carry forward the 'Mogao spirit', keep their original aspirations in mind, keep their mission in mind, and make Dunhuang Mogao a success. The protection, research, and promotion of the caves will continue, and will do better than their predecessors."

Protect the cultural treasures of the millennium

Digital technology makes Mogao Grottoes "permanent"

　　Since the broadcast of the third season of "China in Stories", through the innovative form of "dual time and space + dual stages", it has deeply interpreted the spiritual inheritance between characters, restored the real historical details, and allowed the audience to touch the pulse of history.

This program will also start from the details to explore Fan Jinshi's mission and responsibility.

　　For more than half a century, Fan Jinshi has always followed in the footsteps of his predecessors, and has been actively exploring ways to scientifically protect the Mogao Grottoes, making significant contributions to the permanent preservation and sustainable use of the Mogao Grottoes.

In the late 1980s, she first proposed to use digital technology to protect Dunhuang.

On August 1, 2014, under the leadership of Fan Jinshi, the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center was officially put into operation, becoming an important step in the Mogao Grottoes conservation and utilization project.

With the help of advanced digital technology and multimedia display methods, it presents to the audience the magnificent historical and cultural background of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes and the splendid and colorful grotto art classics.

"It not only adds information to the audience's appreciation of Dunhuang art, but also reduces the pressure of opening the caves," Fan Jinshi said in the link.

　　At the scene of the program, Li Ping recalled the scene when everyone visited the digital exhibition center of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang the day before the opening. The hard work, so clean, we wipe the dust off our feet."

　　"In this life, I am the guardian of the Mogao Grottoes." This is Fan Jinshi's definition of life.

From Wuminghu to Mogao Grottoes, she kept the fire of her predecessors, opened up the road for tomorrow, and joined hands with generations of Mogao Grottoes guardians to write a chapter worthy of the times.

At 8:00 p.m. on May 8 (Sunday), CCTV-1 invites you to walk into Dunhuang for a journey of protection that spans more than half a century.