[2025 Dunhuang Attraction] Travel Guide for Ancient Sound of Dunhuang (Updated Apr)

"Music of Dunhuang" is the world's first cave-style immersive experience drama supported by the Central Propaganda Department, planned by the Propaganda Department of the Gansu Provincial Party Committee, and produced by the Gansu Performing Arts Group. The work traces back to the Dunhuang culture, and uses the in-depth interpretation and sorting of the Mogao Grottoes murals and the ancient books of the Sutra Cave to activate the research and development results of Dunhuang ancient musical instruments and ancient music scores. It uses high-tech means such as holographic projection and 3D wire to interpret the moving story of the young man Bai from the Western Regions in pursuit of art in a fully immersive presentation. The play uses national musical instruments such as the five-string pipa, panpipe, lotus Ruan, and the timbre of Dunhuang imitation musical instruments, and interprets a variety of Dunhuang dances such as the Huxuan dance, waist drum and pipa dance, and the Kalavinka dance. With the repertoire music taken from the Dunhuang ancient music scores and the Western Regions tunes, it restores the music and dance scene in the Dunhuang murals, fully demonstrates the charm of Dunhuang's ancient music culture that has been passed down for thousands of years, and brings the audience a full range of audio-visual feasts. Works created by: The repertoire of "Music of Dunhuang" involves many professional fields such as literature, music, dance, choreography, stage lighting, costume design, etc. The creative team brings together many elite artists in various fields and experts in Dunhuang art and culture research. In order to reproduce the charm of Dunhuang music, dance, poetry and painting, the creative team has conducted in-depth research in Dunhuang many times, and has ingeniously conceived and presented the script conception, music arrangement, dance choreography, multimedia visual design, costume design, stage lighting design, etc., fully showing the magnificent scenery and grand momentum of Dunhuang culture. Theater format: The theater design of "Dunhuang" breaks through the limitations of traditional theater space dimensions. Based on the 735 caves of Mogao Grottoes, a "living" Cave 736 was created. By replicating the characteristic shapes of the Sutra Cave, Buddha niches, lotus platform, and caisson in the cave, combined with the music and dance scenes activated from the murals, an immersive cave theater that can be seen, heard, walked, and interacted is created. The total area of the theater is 18,000 square meters. It is the world's first cave-style immersive experience theater and a perfect combination of modern technology and Dunhuang art. How to watch the show: The "Dancing Dunhuang" theater is a huge stage without boundaries, divided into three major viewing areas, ABC, and each area carries a different viewing experience. Throughout the performance, the audience follows the movement trajectory of the protagonist Bai in the play, walking, standing, or sitting, exploring each space of the theater from shallow to deep, and gradually understanding the plot of the whole play. With the coordination of stage structure, scientific and technological means, and digital technology, you can not only feel a strong visual shock, but also experience a realistic cave crossing, allowing the audience's sensory emotions to fluctuate and change during the performance, and feel the brilliance and prosperity of poetry, dance, music, and painting in Dunhuang art at close range, and enjoy Art experience. Performance Mode: Equipped with various sound, light, electricity and mechanical equipment, the "Music of Dunhuang" theater breaks the boundary between people and stage, allowing the audience to be in the theater, appreciate the actors' performances at a closer distance, experience the changes in light and shadow, and feel the intersection and fusion of performers, music, light and shadow. It truly realizes immersion in music, light and shadow, performance and soul, which is impossible to achieve in traditional theaters. summary of the story: Bai from the Western Regions, with her persistent pursuit of music, followed the Western Regions princess to the Central Plains as a dowry. She was attracted by the splendor and charm of the Central Plains civilization, and constantly integrated the musical elements of the Central Plains and the Western Regions to form a new court music. During the Lantern Festival, Bai encountered a dancing girl, but could not recognize her because of the crowd. Dejected, Bai traveled to the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, and was shocked by the profound art in the murals. He then abandoned all distractions, devoted himself to art, ushered in self-sublimation, and stayed in the Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang forever. It implies that in life, one needs to experience thousands of experiences and go through many entanglements before one can break the shackles of desire, understand the truth of the world, gain inner awakening, and cultivate the ability and wisdom to transcend everything and turn around freely. Synopsis: Chapter 1: "Origin of Wonderful Music" - Interpretation of Western Region Music In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, Bai Shi from the Western Regions was famous at a young age and looked down on all living beings. However, the elusive sound of birdsong made him fall into great anxiety. He decided to follow the Western Regions delegation to the Central Plains to meet the emperor and open up a whole new world for himself. Chapter 2: Music on the Silk Road - Interpretation of the ritual music of the Central Plains When passing through Dunhuang, Bai was shocked by the magnificent and vast musical world and mysterious music scores in the murals. He decided to stay there for a while to study and thus began to dream of integrating the essence of Eastern and Western music. Chapter 3: "Shangyuan Taegae" - the interpretation of folk music in the Central Plains The gorgeous Lantern Festival in Dunhuang brought Bai Shi into a long-lost taste of the human world, and people's desire for a happy life made him feel compassionate. After the prosperity faded away, facing the murals, Bai Shi fell into solitary thought, as if he had merged into it. Chapter 4: "A Magnificent Chapter" - Interpretation of Dunhuang Music In the Dunhuang murals, there are flying fairies more graceful than girls on earth, lanterns and flames more splendid than the Lantern Festival, and the heavenly sounds of the birds that he has been pursuing. When all these came together, Bai finally understood that the selfless dedication to fame and the mixed joys and sorrows of heaven and earth are the vast realm of artistic creation. Facing the bright moon alone and playing a pipa tune, this young man who pursued his dreams finally created a work in Dunhuang that comforted his life and realized his grand dream of integrating Eastern and Western music.