This study explores how traditional art in the digital age can acquire new forms of expression and modes of transmission through animation, focusing on Chinese Dunhuang art as its core research subject. Dunhuang art, which integrates murals, sculpture...
This study explores how traditional art in the digital age can acquire new forms of expression and modes of transmission through animation, focusing on Chinese Dunhuang art as its core research subject. Dunhuang art, which integrates murals, sculptures, decorations, and narratives, represents ancient Chinese Buddhist art. It embodies religious faith and national aesthetics while also serving as a product of cultural exchange along the Silk Road. With the spread of digital technology, the recreation of traditional art has become increasingly necessary.
This study seeks to explore the modern revitalization of Dunhuang art through the dynamic medium of animation while respecting its original artistic spirit. Through literature analysis, the study systematically examines the historical evolution, formative characteristics, and contemporary research trends of Dunhuang art. While previous studies have mainly focused on cultural heritage preservation, restoration, and visual documentation, research on the digital transformation and visual recreation of Dunhuang art within animation remains limited. Accordingly, this study aims to shift the research focus from simple reproduction to creative transformation. By combining traditional visual language with digital technology and contemporary media, it seeks to expand the modern value and communicative potential of Dunhuang art.
Second, the study conducts a comparative analysis of animation cases from China, Korea, and the international field. Centered on The Nine-Colored Deer and Yang Jian from China, Yobi the Five-Tailed Fox from Korea, and the international project Pure Land, the research examines how traditional art is reinterpreted through modern visual language. The results identify three main directions in which traditional art is applied in animation: the redesign of visual symbols, the reconstruction of color language, and the retelling of cultural imagery.
For theoretical explanation, the study proposes two key conceptual models. The first, the VSS model (Visual Symbol Recognition–Structural Reconstruction–Audiovisual Synthesis), explains how the visual elements of Dunhuang art are transformed into the visual structure of animation through the integration of digital graphics and cinematic language. The second, the DIS model (Data Recognition–Intelligent Modeling–Semantic Embedding), illustrates how artificial intelligence and data modeling allow traditional imagery to achieve new forms of expression and semantic expansion. These two models serve as theoretical frameworks for elucidating the principles of digital transformation in traditional art.
The study also analyzes the dissemination of Dunhuang-themed animation in the new media environment. Emerging media forms such as short videos, virtual reality (VR), and multi-platform integration enhance the immersive experience of traditional art. Based on this, three strategies are proposed: (1) a content-focus strategy centered on core motifs, (2) an expressive compression strategy achieved through visual rhythm and composition, and (3) a cross-media communication strategy through inter-platform collaboration and creative sharing. These strategies demonstrate possible pathways for the contemporary recreation and global dissemination of Dunhuang art through animation.
The academic significance of this study can be summarized in three aspects. First, it expands beyond preservation-centered frameworks by presenting digital reproduction as a medium for both cultural preservation and innovation. Second, through the VSS and DIS models, it systematizes the logic of traditional art’s digital transformation and provides a theoretical foundation applicable to art and media research. Finally, by exploring the convergence of Dunhuang art and animation, the study demonstrates that Eastern aesthetics can be re-experienced and reinterpreted in new visual forms within the digital environment.