Dunhuang is like a clear spring in the long river of history, drawing lessons from the past and illuminating the future.
80 years ago, in January 1944, the National Dunhuang Art Research Institute was established. General Secretary Xi Jinping once pointed out: "The establishment of the National Dunhuang Art Institute has ended the nearly 400 years of history of the Dunhuang Grottoes being unmanaged, allowed to be damaged, and repeatedly vandalized and stolen. Since the founding of New China, the party and the country have attached great importance to and vigorously supported Dunhuang culture. protection and inheritance work.”
Over the years, General Secretary Xi Jinping has expressed his yearning for this ancient Silk Road county with profound heritage several times. In August 2019, the General Secretary came here for inspection and research, and said affectionately that this trip fulfilled a long-cherished wish.
From building a model for the protection of world cultural heritage to creating a highland for Dunhuang studies; from passing down the Mogao spirit from generation to generation to carrying forward Dunhuang culture... The deep concern and sincere entrustment show General Secretary Xi Jinping's profound understanding of the ancient culture. Complex, a profound reflection on the inheritance and development of Chinese civilization.
"I have always longed for Dunhuang"
Dun means great; brilliant means prosperous. Dunhuang was an important city on the Silk Road, where diverse civilizations met and gave birth to the brilliance of the Mogao Grottoes.
This is the Mogao Grottoes area in Dunhuang, Gansu Province taken on April 25, 2023 (drone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Bin
In the early autumn of 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping came here for inspection and research in Gansu.
Entering Cave 323 of the Mogao Grottoes, General Secretary Xi Jinping looked at a mural on the north wall.
Map of Zhang Qian’s mission to the Western Regions in Cave 323 of Mogao Grottoes. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Dunhuang Academy)
"This is Zhang Qian." The general secretary said, and then asked, "When was this painted?"
"Early Tang Dynasty." Song Shuxia, deputy director of the Cultural Promotion Department of the Dunhuang Academy, who was responsible for the explanation, introduced to the general secretary.
Although it was the first time to visit the Mogao Grottoes, the general secretary’s familiarity with cultural relics surprised and moved the staff.
This familiarity stems from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s long-standing attachment to Dunhuang.
In 1986, Comrade Xi Jinping, then member of the Standing Committee of the Xiamen Municipal Party Committee and deputy mayor, went to Gansu for research and exchange, but was unable to go to Dunhuang due to time constraints and long distances. When talking about this past event more than 30 years later, the General Secretary still mentioned the regret at that time.
Later, when he served as Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee in Zhejiang, Comrade Xi Jinping went to Zhejiang University for research. When he visited the "Zhejiang University Library", he was very familiar with the academic achievements of the famous Dunhuang scholar Jiang Liangfu.
After working in the central government, Comrade Xi Jinping went to Lanzhou University for investigation in 2009 and told Zheng Binglin, director of the Institute of Dunhuang Studies at Lanzhou University, to "make Dunhuang studies stronger and bigger and win glory for the country"...
Behind "the heart longs for it" is the most profound thinking.
Looking through the history books, we can see that the Hexi Corridor was full of ups and downs, and Dunhuang was full of things in its heyday.
This is the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, taken on January 22, 2024. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Xiping
The majestic Han Dynasty looks towards Chang'an from here. There are more than 80 inns along the thousands of miles. Along the way, "envoys look at each other on the road", and Dunhuang is "a city that Huarong has befriended".
Imposition photos: Han bamboo slips "Juyan Mileage Slip" (left picture) and "Xuanquan Mileage Slip". The "Juyan Mileage Slip" unearthed in 1974 at the Pochengzi site in Ejina Banner, present-day Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, records in detail the names and distances of 20 post stations from Chang'an in the Han Dynasty to Zhangye County. The "Xuanquan Milestones" unearthed in 1990 from the Xuanquan Site in Dunhuang records the detailed information of 12 post sites from Wuwei County to Dunhuang County in the Hexi Corridor. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Gansu Slip Museum)
During the prosperous days of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the northern, middle and southern routes of the Silk Road "all came together in Dunhuang". Dunhuang became the "throat" of the Silk Road, with the sound of camel bells and the gathering of merchants.
Traveling through thousands of years, the ancient Silk Road has regained its glory.
September 2013, Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan. People not only remember the "Silk Road Economic Belt" proposed by President Xi Jinping, but also remember the emotional words of this great leader -
"My hometown, Shaanxi, is located at the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. Standing here, looking back on history, I seem to hear the sound of camel bells echoing in the mountains, and see the curls of smoke flying in the desert. All of this makes me feel Very cordial.”
Dunhuang has an unusual status in the mind of the General Secretary.
In a congratulatory letter to the first Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, General Secretary Xi Jinping praised "Dunhuang as an important hub for the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures in history"; at the opening ceremony of the first "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Summit Forum, the General Secretary talked about The ancient Silk Road calls Dunhuang and other ancient cities "'living fossils' that record this period of history"...
When the Belt and Road Initiative bore fruit and gradually became the most popular international public product in the world today, this "initiator" came to Dunhuang.
On September 6, 2023, guests visited the 6th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Xiping
General Secretary Xi Jinping explained the purpose of his visit this way: "At present, we are promoting the joint construction of the 'One Belt, One Road'. We should go back to the old Silk Road and take a look, and we can find a lot of inspiration."
Draw wisdom from the rich history and gain strength from the distant civilization.
When visiting the academic achievement display at the Dunhuang Academy, General Secretary Xi Jinping paused for a long time in front of a green landscape painting.
The green landscape of Cave 217 of Mogao Grottoes. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Dunhuang Academy)
In the painting, there are steep cliffs, cascading waterfalls, meandering rivers, and overhanging vines. Travelers walk among the mountains and rivers, peach and plum blossoms bloom on the roadside, and the spring scenery is bright.
Zhao Shengliang, then director of the Dunhuang Academy, told the General Secretary that this mural copy was taken from Cave 217 of the Mogao Grottoes and told the story of the Indian eminent monk Buddha Poli coming to Mount Wutai twice to worship Buddha. This green landscape painting embodies the traditional Chinese aesthetic spirit.
Today, most of the paintings from the Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Sui and Tang Dynasties have been lost. This brightly colored green landscape painting from the Tang Dynasty is a precious cultural memory preserved by the Mogao Grottoes for future generations.
“If we don’t understand China from its long historical continuity, it will be impossible to understand ancient China, modern China, and future China.” At the symposium on cultural inheritance and development held in June 2023, Xi Jinping The general secretary explained why he cherishes cultural context.
When I came to Zhu Xi Garden in Wuyishan, Fujian, I emphasized that "we must pay special attention to discovering the essence of China's five thousand years of civilization"; when we visited the Sansu Temple in Meishan, Sichuan, we lamented that "a Sansu Temple can reveal the breadth and depth of our Chinese culture"; and walked into Henan The Anyang Yin Ruins site pointed out that "Chinese civilization has a long history and has never been interrupted. It has shaped our great nation, and this nation will continue to be great."...
The rise of all countries and nations is guided and based on cultural innovation and civilization progress.
The love of Dunhuang is a vivid portrayal of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s cultural sentiments, and it is also a far-sighted plan for the future——
"Only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization can we more effectively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China's excellent traditional culture, more effectively promote the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation."
Audiences visit the Dunhuang Art Museum of the Lanzhou Branch of the Dunhuang Academy (photo taken on April 5, 2023). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Bin
“Protection is the first priority”
On September 29, 2019, the awarding ceremony for national medals and national honorary titles was held in the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Fan Jinshi, honorary president of the Dunhuang Academy, won the national honorary title of "Outstanding Contributor to Cultural Relics Protection".
Amidst the majestic and passionate music, Fan Jinshi, with a full head of hair and a slim figure, walked slowly towards the awarding platform. General Secretary Xi Jinping stood in the middle of the awards ceremony, smiling and shaking hands warmly with this "Daughter of Dunhuang".
"I heard it's raining where you are?"
"Yes, General Secretary, we are doing relevant monitoring work."
Among the myriad issues surrounding state governance, why is General Secretary Xi Jinping so concerned about the rain in Dunhuang?
Just over a month ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping hosted a symposium at the Dunhuang Academy. At the meeting, Fan Jinshi reported on a series of natural factors that may affect the protection of Dunhuang cultural relics, and water is one of them.
"Are the number of tourists currently excessive? What is the overload situation?" "Has it rained a lot in Dunhuang in recent years?"... At the symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping asked particularly detailed questions about the number of tourists and the impact of natural disasters. When the meeting was over, the General Secretary stopped at the door again and specifically told everyone: "Protection of world cultural heritage is the first priority, and tourism is the second. We can't just focus on tickets and pursue economic benefits, and we can't be too commercial. change."
Fan Jinshi has always lamented: "The general secretary is concerned about the most urgent issues currently facing Dunhuang."
All things are born, but only know how to keep their roots.
"A person who loves the land of China will definitely love every stream, every inch of land, and every page of glorious history." Comrade Xi Jinping once said this affectionately when he was working in Zhengding, Hebei.
Cave 61 of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, a painting depicting the mountains and rivers from Zhengding and Taiyuan to Wutai Mountain in a radius of 500 miles, evoked the memories of General Secretary Xi Jinping.
Picture of Wutai Mountain in Cave 61 of Mogao Grottoes. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Dunhuang Academy)
While working in Zhengding, Comrade Xi Jinping often visited cultural preservation units such as ancient temples and pagodas recorded in the county annals.
While investigating at Longxing Temple, Comrade Xi Jinping saw a tablet with the words "Rong Xi" inscribed by Zhu Xi engraved on it. There is also a Sui stele next to it. Because it is so old, many places have weathered.
At that time, Comrade Xi Jinping told the staff, "We can no longer build monuments in the future. Zhu Xi's inscription monument must be sealed and protected, and the Sui Dynasty monument must also be sealed."
Later, cultural relic workers from the Dunhuang Academy also went to Longxing Temple in Zhengding to carry out cultural relic protection work, leaving a special fate.
More than 30 years later, in Cave 61 of the Mogao Grottoes, General Secretary Xi Jinping once again mentioned this Sui stele and recalled every detail of the protection of Zhengding historical cultural relics.
"To protect and inherit historical and cultural heritage well is to be responsible to history and to the people."
Over the past decades, General Secretary Xi Jinping has always carried out his deep feelings for Chinese civilization and actively promoted the protection and inheritance of historical and cultural heritage.
The central axis of Beijing extends to the north and at the foot of Yanshan Mountain, the Central Building of the National Library of China is nestled among green hills and lush forests.
On June 1, 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping walked into the Lantai Cave Library in the museum. On the top of the cave, the image of Feitian taken from the Dunhuang murals of the Tang Dynasty shows the charm of oriental aesthetics.
"Cultivation of literature in the prosperous times." In Lantai Cave Library, General Secretary Xi Jinping said this word many times. "Some classics of the Chinese nation have been lost to the erosion of time." "But in every era, a group of people carefully care for them and preserve them. In our era, one is safe and stable, and the other is strong protection of national culture. , willingness to build, and the ability. Once the conditions are met, then we will get this major event done in time."
Isn't this a message to Dunhuang?
It has been unmanaged for nearly 400 years, and has gone through wars, thefts, and destruction... After countless sunrises and moonsets, and many narrow escapes, the Dunhuang Grottoes have finally arrived today. Under the sunshine of New China, the pearls are dusting off and regaining their splendor. .
During his inspection in Dunhuang, General Secretary Xi Jinping walked in the Mogao Grottoes area. The reinforced cliff outside the cave is integrated with the surrounding landscape.
Zhao Shengliang introduced to General Secretary Xi Jinping that in the early 1960s, under the very difficult conditions of the country, the central government allocated huge sums of money to carry out the Mogao Grottoes dangerous cliff reinforcement project and rescued and repaired the Mogao Grottoes. In the early days of reform and opening up, the central government allocated special funds to greatly improve the working and living conditions of the employees of the Dunhuang Academy.
The sharp contrast between history and reality highlights the prosperity of Chinese civilization and the grandeur of its great era.
In the first multi-field coupling laboratory in the field of cultural relics protection in the Dunhuang Academy, the staff of the Dunhuang Academy Conservation Research Institute are concentrating on recording various data.
In the multi-field coupling laboratory of the Dunhuang Research Institute, staff are conducting three-dimensional scanning analysis on sandstone samples from the North Grotto Temple in Qingyang (photo taken on August 3, 2023). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li He
The laboratory has been officially put into operation since 2020 and is divided into summer warehouse, winter warehouse and wind and rain warehouse. It can simulate environments from -30°C to 60°C and 10% to 90% relative humidity. Soil and stone samples taken from Mogao Grottoes and other places will withstand the test of various meteorological conditions, thereby revealing the mystery of the weathering of the Grotto Temple and taking targeted protective measures.
"Strive to build the institute into a model of world cultural heritage protection" and "use advanced science and technology to improve the level of protection"... The General Secretary's encouragement has always inspired everyone here.
"Stick to the desert, be willing to contribute, be courageous to take responsibility, and pioneer and enterprising" - the Mogao spirit described by General Secretary Xi Jinping is being passed down from generation to generation. In front of the time-honored murals of the Mogao Grottoes, at the archaeological site of the Yin Ruins, in the Cultural Relics Protection and Restoration Hall of the Sanxingdui Museum... thousands of cultural guardians carefully protect the cultural treasures of China.
Cultural destiny is linked to national destiny, and cultural context is connected to national context.
In Fujian, we will fully protect the three lanes and seven lanes, allocate funds to support the repair work of the Bagua Tower on Gulangyu Island, and protect the Liangzhu ruins in Zhejiang, "a holy place that demonstrates the five thousand years of Chinese civilization history"...
General Secretary Xi Jinping’s unswerving protection of ancient cultural heritage has allowed the cultural scroll of climbing towers, seeing ancient pagodas, and remembering nostalgia to slowly unfold on the land of China, making the prospects for the modern civilization of the Chinese nation infinitely glorious——
"Our culture is here! It is very civilized, progressive and advanced. In the future, it will be passed down for another five thousand years, and more than five thousand years."
“Tell the Dunhuang story well and spread the voice of China”
Lanzhou, Gansu, Reader Publishing Group Co., Ltd. On the display cabinet in the middle hall on the first floor, the "Survey of Dunhuang Tibetan Documents in Gansu Province" launched in 2022 is particularly eye-catching.
On the afternoon of August 21, 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to Reader Publishing Group Co., Ltd. for inspection and investigation. Here, the General Secretary once again mentioned Dunhuang.
Deputy General Manager Fukangnian recalled: "General Secretary Xi Jinping mentioned that Dunhuang documents cover all aspects and are rich historical materials. In recent years, we have actively implemented the General Secretary's requirements and published a large number of documents related to Dunhuang and bamboo slips. books."
The Dunhuang Scripture Cave records a "sad history of our country's scholarship."
In 1900, the Buddhist Scripture Cave was discovered. At that time, the country's power was declining and countless precious cultural relics were lost overseas.
Cave 17 of the Mogao Grottoes. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Dunhuang Academy)
When visiting the Scripture Cave in the Mogao Grottoes, General Secretary Xi Jinping took the initiative to talk about how Taoist Wang Yuanlu discovered the Scripture Cave.
Looking back on the present, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Only when the country is strong can culture prosper.”
In April 2023, the "Digital Sutra Cave" was launched, and digital twin technology restored the physical cave and the cultural relics contained therein.
By moving their fingers, users can play different roles and "travel" to the late Tang, Northern Song, and late Qing dynasties, interact with historical figures such as Hongbian monks, experience different scenes such as building caves and placing scriptures, and experience Dunhuang culture immersively.
"Realize the digital sharing of Dunhuang cultural and artistic resources on a global scale" - With the encouragement of General Secretary Xi Jinping, "Digital Dunhuang" is becoming a reality step by step.
Nian Haili, an image processor from the cultural relics digital protection team of the Dunhuang Academy, is stitching together mural images (photographed on April 25, 2023). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Bin
Dunhuang is China’s important gateway to the Western Regions. Ancient Chinese civilization and ideas, religions, arts, and cultures from different countries and regions such as ancient India, ancient Greece, and ancient Persia converged and blended here.
The envoy Zhang Qian excavated the Western Regions, Prince Satao sacrificed his life to feed tigers, and the bouncing pipa danced for thousands of years... The history is flowing, and the vivid murals in the hundreds of caves in the Mogao Grottoes have left a distinct mark of civilizational exchanges and mutual learning.
"The inclusiveness of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines the historical orientation of the exchanges and integration of the Chinese nation, determines the harmonious pattern of the diverse coexistence of various religious beliefs in China, and determines the openness of Chinese culture to the world's civilizations." In cultural inheritance and development At the symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping spoke firmly.
Only a civilization full of self-confidence can tolerate, learn from, and absorb various civilizations while maintaining its own national characteristics; only a nation full of self-confidence can stand firm in the turbulence of historical trends and survive through hardships. Dunhuang is an immortal witness to this historical process.
With such tolerance and confidence, Dunhuang moves towards the future with an open attitude.
Looking back on the past century of Dunhuang studies, we have gone from emphasizing documents in the early years to supplementing and proving history later. Now, scholars are working hard to go a step further to make "unpopular knowledge" more continuous and "internationally renowned knowledge" more prominent.
During a discussion at the Dunhuang Academy, Zheng Binglin reported to General Secretary Xi Jinping on the compilation status of "General History of Dunhuang". Now, this set of books has been published, providing a reference for Dunhuang studies.
The relevant protection concepts and technologies summarized and extracted from the Dunhuang protection practice are moving towards a broader stage. Su Bomin, director of the Dunhuang Academy, said that these concepts and technologies have been applied in more than 500 national key cultural relics protection projects, and have begun to spread to Kyrgyzstan and other countries co-building the "Belt and Road".
Soak in the ink of history and write a new history.
When the Dunhuang documents lost overseas return to their hometown in digital form, when the nine-colored deer in the ancient murals "fly into the homes of ordinary people" through cultural and creative products, when the dancing of "Flower Rain on the Silk Road" amazes the world, when "Dunhuang in China" , the situation of "Dunhuang studies abroad" has been completely changed... The expectation of "telling Dunhuang stories well and spreading the voice of China" is becoming a reality step by step, and the ancient cultural context is full of vitality in the new era.
The strings and songs are endless, and the firepower is passed down from generation to generation.
"Continue to promote cultural prosperity, build a cultural power, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation from a new starting point" - under the call of the new cultural mission of the new era, ancient Dunhuang blooms with youth and accumulates more basic foundation for hundreds of millions of Chinese people. , deeper and more lasting power!
Text reporters: Xiang Qingkai, Shi Yucen, Wang Peng, Zhang Qin, Zhang Yujie
Poster design: Sun Yao
Editors: Yang Wenrong, Hao Xiaojing, Jia Yining, Xu Jinquan, Qi Wenjuan, Han Fang, Chen Bin, Zhao Tingting, Cheng Hao, Hu Bixia
Coordinator: He Yuxin