Events

This event is jointly organised by the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) and the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, and held in conjunction with the Nalanda Professorship in India-China Studies.

The Dunhuang cave temples are integrated works of art, comprising rock-cut chambers, timber-framed porches, and painted sculptures and murals. For centuries, these spaces were centres of Buddhist worship, reflecting the beliefs and aspirations of local communities. Yet after a thousand years, few wooden structures survive, many chambers have undergone restoration, and much of the original decoration has faded. How can we better understand and experience the cave art of Dunhuang in its original setting? This talk explores what several cave structures, depictions of the Pure Land, and pavilions at Mogao might originally have looked like, using digital technology to reconstruct and bring these historic spaces to life.

敦煌石窟寺是包含石凿龛室、木构窟檐、彩塑壁画装饰的整体艺术作品，其空间承载了当地信仰者的佛事活动与精神向往。然而千年以后，木构少存，石室重修，原作涣漫，如何能更充分地认识与感知石窟艺术之原境？讲座探讨莫高窟若干代表性石窟建筑、净土图像与窟前楼阁的可能原貌，并通过数字展示手段表达其空间意趣。

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Zhou Zhenru is Assistant Professor at the Institute of Future Human Habitats, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School. She specialises in Chinese architectural history, with a particular focus on Dunhuang. She helped develop the exhibition A Thousand Years of Construction: The Beauty of Dunhuang Architecture at the Dunhuang Academy.

周真如，清华大学深圳国际研究生院未来人居研究院助理教授，从事中国古代建筑艺术史、敦煌建筑研究，参与策划敦煌研究院《千年营造——敦煌建筑之美》展览。

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Louise Lui is curator (Chinese art) at the Asian Civilisations Museum. She curated Fukusa: Japanese Gift Covers from the Chris Hall Collection (2024) at the Peranakan Museum and Sacred Caves: Dunhuang, Buddhism, and the Silk Road at ACM.

雷可欣，亚洲文明博物馆研究员（中国艺术），负责策划土生文化馆《Fukusa: Japanese Gift Covers from the Chris Hall Collection》（2024年），以及亚洲文明博物馆《敦煌：佛教艺术与丝绸之路》。

REGISTRATION

This talk will take place in person at the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) and will be conducted entirely in Mandarin.
Admission is free with registration (a $10 refundable deposit is required).
Please register your interest at https://digitalrebirth16nov.peatix.com/