Vice President Tong Ka Lok leads M.U.S.T. delegation to the Dunhuang Research Academy

Invited by the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) Alumni Culture Innovation Industry Association, Vice President Tong Ka Lok led the delegation of Macau University of Science and Technology (M.U.S.T.) to visit the Dunhuang Research Academy in Gansu Province on 31st May, 2019, accompanied by the Chairman Chen Jianjun of the Association. They were warmly received by the Director Zhao Shengliang of the Dunhuang Research Academy.

Vice President Tong Ka Lok of M.U.S.T. (left) presents a souvenir to the Director Zhao Shengliang (right) of the Dunhuang Research Academy

M.U.S.T. and the Dunhuang Research Academy talked about cooperation in the fields of cultural heritage conversation, cultural and creative product development, and nature painting. During the talks, M.U.S.T. Director Wu Xiaoning of the President’s Office Alumni Affairs and Project Development pointed out that Dunhuang and Macao are both world cultural heritage cities recognized by UNESCO, one is a key city on the Silk Road, and the other is an important city on the Maritime Silk Road. The conduct of cultural studies between the two cities can, therefore, be feasible, exchangeable and intensive. The Dean Zhang Zhiqing of the Faculty of Humanities and Arts stated that Dunhuang is a national historical and cultural city, and the Dunhuang Research Academy has significantly contributed to the research, protection and management of national treasures. The Faculty’s Master and PhD students who study cultural heritage conversation in Design, painting theory and practice, history and art history theory in Fine Arts will definitely benefit from the knowledge, inspiration and conception at the Academy. The Faculty Program Director Huang Guanghui also indicated that the majors of product design and visual communication in Design can collaborate with the Dunhuang Research Academy to develop Dunhuang cultural and creative products; Assistant Professor Zheng Jianyi also expressed an expectation of conducting research on the architectural styles in Dunhuang murals. Vice President Tong Ka Lok invited the Director Zhao Shengliang to visit M.U.S.T. to learn about the characteristics of the University and its teaching and research approach in the related fields, and to deliver speeches or lectures to the students on the Dunhuang culture.

Group photo of the meeting participants

After the talks, the delegation of M.U.S.T. visited the Dunhuang Cultural Relics Research and Exhibition Center. The Deputy Director of the Art Research Department of the Dunhuang Research Academy and the Director of the Dunhuang Cultural Relics Research and Exhibition Center, Luo Yao, guided the tour on the Dunhuang culture.

The delegation then visited the sites including Mogao Grottoes, Yulin Grottoes, and Dunhuang Library Cave Exhibition Hall, studied the cave architecture, mural art, and religious culture. They also participated in the restoration of murals on site, observing how the experts filled the murals with damaged holes which involves a series of complicated procedures such as lifting, dusting, gluing, resuming and recording. Throughout two days of on-the-spot learning exchanges, the delegation gained a deep understanding of the ‘repairing the old as the original’ principle of the Dunhuang murals restoration. This field trip was intensive but brim with fruitful content and knowledge. M.U.S.T. is going to establish tight connection with the Dunhuang Research Academy in relevant fields, apply the world’s leading cultural heritage protection technology and cultural and creative ideas into Macao cultural heritage, and better serve Macao society.