On October 14th, the "Double Ninth Festival" according to the traditional Chinese Lunar Calendar, nearly 100 guests from all over the world gathered at the BCIS Early Childhood Center to experience the opening event of YueCheng Education's Dunhuang Art Exhibition: "Return of Dunhuang·Dialogue of Wisdom". Our distinguished guests included Niu Yusheng, a caretaker of Dunhuang art, Ma Zhaomin, an archaeological researcher at the Dunhuang Research Institute, Niu Jia, an expert on Chinese culture, Ni Haohua, founder of YueCheng Education, An Wei, Board Chair of YueCheng Education, and many other community members. Guests enjoyed a fantastic opening night of learning and exchange and kicked off a two-week exhibition of Dunhuang Art honoring the cultural heritage and celebrating the marvelous cultural integration between China and the World.

Guarding the Millennium Treasure

Dunhuang, the corridor that holds half of the history of Chinese art and Chinese civilization, carries a shifting history behind cultural relics and artworks, and moving but little-known stories of guardians from generation to generation. This important cultural tradition needs a voice, and our students are the best storytellers.

After attending the art opening ceremony, Julie Lawton, the Chief Academic Officer of YueCheng Education, said that she was deeply moved by these intriguing stories of the Dunhuang Academy and the Dunhuang caretakers. The lectures from our expert guests impressed the members of the YueCheng community, who had the opportunity to explore the Chinese culture hidden in Dunhuang and build a close connection between this culture and the world. The guests were also able to better understand the responsibility and mission of our important cultural inheritors. This message was important for BCIS student representative Steven, who said, "as a student, I have the ability to explore the stories behind cultural relics, strengthen the awareness of cultural relics excavation and protection, and expand the popularity of cultural heritage." His interest in such important cultural history inspired him to establish the "Story China" school club. This club will build a mini-cultural space in an international school environment and promote cultural exchanges between China and the West.

Another student representative, Celina, also enjoys a close connection with Dunhuang. She is in Grade 11 and has a passion for painting and classical art. During her study on Chinese art history, she encountered the gorgeous murals and exquisitely colored sculptures from the Mogao Grottoes many times. For her, The Dunhuang art exhibition is both a valuable art immersion experience and an opportunity to reflect on her identity and mission. She describes the excellent cultural learning environment at BCIS, stating, "students at BCIS are in a multicultural environment, every day we experience and participate in the international communication between Chinese and western culture. We should embrace the history of the past, while also having national self-confidence. We should strive to be ambassadors of culture and use the starting point of our history for the present and future."

At YueCheng Education, we appreciate cultural integration, and treasures both Chinese and foreign; ancient and modern. This mission of embracing our past and culture helps us to gain wisdom and combine it with a future-focused education. Dunhuang, with its millennia-long history of culture and belief, awakens the heart of the cultural inheritance of Chinese people, inspires them with the determination to protect Chinese culture, and exhibits the core of cultural integration on an international stage. Caretaker of Dunhuang Art Niu Yusheng's fine fresco tour is still on display, looking forward to engaging more members of the YueCheng community.