Performance brings murals in Mogao Caves to life

Ancient Sound of Dunhuang, launched on Thursday, is based on research into the ancient musical instruments and music scores featured either on the murals or in ancient manuscripts of the Library Cave, or Cave 17 of the Mogao Caves.

With the use of hologram technology, it tells the story of an ancient young man's pursuit of a musical career and involves instruments like the five-stringed pipa (a traditional lute), panpipe and lotus flower-shaped ruan (a plucked-string instrument), as well as various dances, such as huxuan, that originated in Central Asia and were popular in the Tang Dynasty (618-907).