A kid admires the restored Dunhuang mural instruments. [Photo provided to silkroadexpo.gogansu.com]

At the 3rd Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo held in September 2018, visitors were transported into a fantasy land with mesmerizing sight and sound brought because of the "Dunhuang mural musical instrument restoration and development" project.

The murals of Dunhuang vividly portray a rich musical legacy, depicting celestial beings playing instruments like pipa (a four-stringed lute) alongside exotic musical imports from the Western Regions.

To resurrect these ancient sounds, the project—led by renowned Dunhuang instrument master Zheng Ruzhong—brought together top instrument craftsmen from across China to meticulously recreate these historical instruments as fully functional pieces.

Thanks to this initiative, the once-silent instruments of Dunhuang now resonate once more, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the timeless melodies of ancient China.