Dunhuang, Gansu, September 9 (ZXS) -- During the 6th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Culture Expo, the first Orchid Award "Walking in China, Entering Gansu" visit was launched, and several overseas Chinese friends from Britain, Russia, Spain and Egypt embarked on a three-day trip to Dunhuang to pursue the imprint of the thousand-year-old Silk Road and feel the charm of Dunhuang culture.
On the stone bridge leading to the Mogao Grottoes, David Ferguson, honorary English editor of Foreign Languages Publishing House, excitedly pulls his companions to take a group photo, behind him is the Mingsha Mountain under the warm autumn sun, and the cliffs below the mountain are lined up in an orderly manner. This was his first visit to Dunhuang.
On September 9, David Ferguson, honorary English editor-in-chief of Foreign Languages Publishing House, was photographed outside the Mogao Cave Cave. Photo by China News Agency reporter Li Yalong
The Mogao Grottoes are the first stop of the visit. As the largest and richest treasure trove of classical culture and art in China, Mogao Grottoes has a total of 735 caves, more than 2000,4 statues and 5,<> square meters of murals, and is known as "a museum on the wall" and "an art museum in the desert".
"I was struck by the tall cave murals and one of them, one of which has retained its bright blue pigments for thousands of years." Relinko, a Spanish sinologist and professor at the Department of Philosophical Philology at the University of Granada, marveled at the frescoes in the cave. She said that she visited the Mogao Grottoes 23 years ago but could not appreciate them carefully, but now the cultural relics of the Mogao Grottoes have been more effectively protected, with docents providing professional explanations in Chinese and English, and being able to witness the previously unopened caves, giving her a deeper understanding of the Mogao Grottoes and Dunhuang culture.
Yi Fucheng, a Russian sinologist and head of the Department of Oriental Studies at the Faculty of Languages of the Russian State University for the Humanities, said: "When I first came to Dunhuang, I wanted to see the Mogao Grottoes Buddha statues, but unfortunately because the restoration was not open to the public, I searched for many mural photos on the Internet after returning to China, and I already felt very beautiful, but the feeling of seeing the real thing with my own eyes was completely different, through them I could see what people practiced and lived here in ancient times." ”
Entering the dark caves, visitors feel like opening a time tunnel and returning to the ancient Silk Road, where camel bells are leisurely and Sanskrit sounds are singing, reliving the dialogue and exchange of past stories.
Issam Sharaf, former Egyptian prime minister who has visited China more than 30 times, said he loves Chinese culture, especially traditional Chinese music and painting. During the visit, he listened carefully to the interpretation of the historical background and stylistic characteristics of each mural, and stopped from time to time to admire the exquisite Buddha statues and mural details.
Former Egyptian Prime Minister Issam Sharaf (first from left) visits the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang on September 9. Photo by China News Agency reporter Li Yalong
Dunhuang was once an important node on the ancient Silk Road, where different cultures converged. Regarding how to continue Dunhuang's diverse culture and promote civilizational exchanges today, Yi Fucheng believes that cultural exchanges should not only eat and drink tea, but also increase the depth, and should carry out in-depth and comprehensive exchanges from the perspectives of cultural background, historical sources, civilization heritage, etc., which is also the significance of this trip to Dunhuang. He said that after returning to China, he will introduce the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes to his students in the Chinese National Conditions class.
David Ferguson believes that good stories about China should be told through people-to-people interactions.
The first Orchid Award "Walking in China, Entering Gansu" organized by the International Communication Development Center of CIPG was held in Dunhuang from 5 to 7, and overseas visiting delegations composed of people from Britain, Spain, Russia, Egypt and other countries visited and inspected here. In addition to the Mogao Grottoes, the delegation will also visit the Dunhuang Cultural Expo Complex, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area, Danghe Style Line, Dunhuang Bookstore, etc., and then go to Beijing to participate in the first Orchid Award Ceremony. (End)