Step inside a dream where thousand-year-old murals glow under digital light, apsaras float through the air to the sound of ancient flutes, and the sands of the Silk Road stir with stories long forgotten.
Dreamlike Dunhuang: Recreating the Grandeur of Dunhuang, now on view at the University of Hong Kong, is more than an exhibition – it’s a sensory journey through one of history’s most sacred artistic realms.
The exhibition will run until September 7 at the Ko Wong Wai Ching Wendy Fine Arts Digital Library of the HKU Main Library.
As the first university in Hong Kong to host a Dunhuang exhibition, HKU works hand in hand with the Dunhuang Academy to allow visitors to gain a deep understanding of Dunhuang's storied past, as well as its modern-day significance.
The exhibition's highlights begin with the Dunhuang Culture Exhibition, which showcases preserved cave art and artifacts that bring its history to life. Visitors can discover artifact conservation techniques and the digital technology preserving this ancient culture.
Academic lectures will feature thought leaders such as Zhao Sheng-liang, director of Dunhuang Academy, and Stephen Suen, founder of Chamber of Young Snow, who will unravel the intricacies of Dunhuang’s cultural and academic tapestry through enlightening keynote speeches.
Additionally, a digital showcase will allow visitors to experience the magic of Dunhuang’s artistry through immersive presentations, transforming the exhibition into a visual feast that brings ancient murals to life on a grand scale.
Dreamlike Dunhuang spans six themes across three library spaces. The Main Library's second floor houses the Solemn Buddhist Palace, featuring a life-sized replica of Mogao Cave 45, highlighting Tang Dynasty artistry. Myriad Aspects of Mundane Life displays vibrant murals of ancient everyday living, while Treasures of Stone Chamber presents key documents that influenced global scholarship.
The ground floor of the Exhibition Zone explores Silk Road history in Along the Silk Roads and the mural techniques behind Painted Splendour on the Walls.
On the third floor, the Ko Wong Wai Ching Wendy library offers a serene space where visitors can recline and admire Journey to Pure Land, featuring ceiling art and apsara performances. The area also screens films, including Mogao Caves: Murals in Motion, which animates ancient stories and reveals the enduring legacy of Dunhuang as a cultural nexus.
More than a display of relics, Dreamlike Dunhuang invites visitors to lay beneath a virtual sky, wander ancient trade routes, and rediscover how art, faith, and humanity converged in a desert oasis that still speaks to the modern world.
Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 9pm, and Saturday from 9am to 5pm, with closures on Sundays and public holidays.
Anson Luk
