The XR large space experience exhibition The Awaking of Dunhuang: The Divine Beasts are on the Move has recently premiered at No 280 Dunhuang Road in Shanghai's Putuo district.

The exhibition, which secured a spot in the "top 10 excellent cases of 'AI + cultural tourism' in Shanghai for 2025" at the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, intertwines technology and civilization in the Taopu Smart City.

It spans approximately 300 square meters of XR immersive space at the Taopu Smart City's TOP Central Park. A blue-glowing bluebird transforms into a guide, leading visitors on an immersive exploration of the Dunhuang Grottoes.

Leveraging large-space technology, multimodal perception, and 1:1 digital replication technology, the organizers have recreated 14 scenes in Dunhuang.

Xie Anna, the chief curator of the exhibition, said that it is a continuation of The Flowing Dunhuang: The Realm of Thousand Colors, an XR-powered digital exhibition held at the Shanghai Library in early July.

The exhibition, featuring the theme "Exploring Dunhuang on Dunhuang Road", is divided into two sections: the entertainment section focuses on fun tasks in which participants can choose to awaken divine beasts, while the comprehensive section delves deeper into Dunhuang's cultural significance alongside the exciting divine beasts interactive adventures, Xie said.

"It's truly awe-inspiring!" said Huang Chengxi, a local middle-school student, who was among the exhibition's first visitors. "I never imagined I could experience the Mogao Caves like this without leaving Shanghai! My favorite part was the story of the Nine-Colored Deer."

The exhibition marks a significant move by Taopu Smart City in advancing cultural tourism. The organizers from the Taopu Smart City said that in the months to follow, more cultural tourism events will be held in the innovation town.

 

Source: Official WeChat account of Shanghai Putuo Media Center at "shputuo"