The connection between Dunhuang and the soul
I have come across the familiar and unfamiliar name ‘Dunhuang’ for many years. Every time I seem to just brush past it, just watch an exhibition, but I don’t feel much about it. It’s a pity that I haven’t comprehensively understood the preciousness of its millennium old culture yet. What a precious and a gratifying encounter this time! The heart, with a sense of connection, only then do I see its sparkling light and hear its allure.
On the day of the seminar, I stepped into Yidan Chinese Culture Center. The refined woody fragrance of the environment refreshed my soul and it precipitated in my body and mind. As I sat in front of a wide video screen, I slowly calmed down and began to listen carefully to Dr. Irene Lok, the speaker, using her cheerful voice. One by one, she shared the photos of Dunhuang that she personally took on the screen, a spiritual and soul sharing, and suddenly I felt a connection from my heart. Within an hour, from the distance of the environment of Dunhuang to where I sat, with the map, terrain, the imperial dynasty, the legend of the grottoes, to the rarely known appearance of cultural blending, the golden ratio of the appearance and posture of the Bodhisattva, Dr. Lok introduced to the audience one by one the characteristics of each feature of Dunhuang, taking them to walk around the Dunhuang grottoes like a gentle spring breeze, expanding the world view of audience.
The audience was diverse in age, with many young students coming with their parents, creating a warm atmosphere. Listening to Dr. Lok’s story, the children encountered the splendors of Dunhuang, a magnificence which is interwoven with Chinese and Western cultures: the mural containing patterns of Western constellations, the similarity between people’s clothing then and modern fashion. The talk vividly captivates the audience with the touching and mysterious spirits of ancient culture; it was indeed an experience of submersion – capturing and enriching for the senses.
About the Speaker：
Dr. Irene Lok, Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Hong Kong. Member of China Dunhuang Turpan Society. Dr. Lok teaches Dunhuang Buddhist art in CUHK, also serves as an Art Consultant at Jao Tsung-I Academy in HKU etc. The author of the award-winning book Contemplating the Mind at Ease: Origin of the Guanyin Festivals and Worshipping in Hong Kong and the latest book Serendipity at Dunhuang.
