BEIJING, Dec. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The exhibition "Pearls on the Silk Road: Dunhuang Grottoes in Venice" debuted on February 21, 2018, in the gallery of the University of Venice in Italy. The exhibition transported Italians, who live more than 6,400 kilometers away from Dunhuang, to the allure of art created there 1,600 years ago. "VENICE AND DUNHUANG - Above Desert and Sea," a documentary production, was born out of this possibility for collaboration. The documentary series "VENICE AND DUNHUANG - Above Desert and Sea" launched on December 24 on CCTV's documentary channel (CCTV-9).

The documentary is divided into four 50-minute episodes, each of which focuses on a different aspect of urban planning, cultural integration, heritage protection, or human memory. The background is the sand and sea, and the major theme is the fate of the city. The interaction and conflict between Dunhuang and Venice, two cities that have significantly influenced global civilization, were demonstrated to the audience.

The Dunhuang Academy and the University of Venice provided scholarly and filming support for the documentary. Dunhuang and Venice, two cities with rich human cultural legacies, were examined and contrasted for the first time through the lenses of historical geography and anthropology. The primary creative team is seeking for the echoes and connections between the civilizations, which are hundreds of miles apart, between the many natural landforms and dozens of civilization sites. Tens of thousands of historical materials in more than 10 languages have been amassed among the cultural artifacts amassed by dozens of museums, art galleries, libraries, and other related institutions in an effort to decipher the codes used to interpret the two cities, restore some of their past appearance and memory, and discover their inner spirits. Additionally, interviews with more than 40 academics, professionals, artists, and urban dwellers from around the globe were conducted in order to explore and consider the sustainable development, cultural inheritance, and rebirth of the two ancient cultural cities and to use the camera to leave a civilized memo for the human city.

The visit described in "Marco Polo's Travels" may have been the only direct clash between Dunhuang and Venice in recorded history. But today, they got back together with a fresh appearance, sending long-overdue pleasantries and hoping for a prosperous future.