Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid) header
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid) profile picture
Mogao, Dunhuang, China
Joined November 2016
Photo by Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid)Photo by Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid)Photo by Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid)Photo by Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid)Photo by Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid)Photo by Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid)Photo by Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid)Photo by Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid)Photo by Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid)Photo by Neil Schmid 史瀚文 (@DNeilSchmid)
Eighteen events at the Expo, eight subforums at the Forum! Alongside the 9th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo from Nov 2 to 4, the 2026 Dunhuang Forum will explore cultural heritage, Silk Road cooperation, dance, medicine, and film. Which topic interests you most?
1
4
54
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
Australia returns two Northern Song Dynasty statue heads to China on October 28. The heads of a civil official statue from Yongchang Mausoleum and a military official statue from Yongyu Mausoleum (both Northern Song imperial tombs, 960–1127) have been returned by Australia. The mausoleums are in Gongyi, Henan Province—home to China’s largest and relatively well-preserved group of Northern Song imperial tomb stone carvings. These include richly varied and finely carved stone figures (human statues, auspicious beasts, and more). The returned official heads are representative masterpieces of Song Dynasty stone carving art.
11
48
4
271
11,043
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
The Dunhuang Academy has welcomed two interns from Princeton University and the University of Chicago through Princeton in Asia. Over 10 months, they will support guide training, translation, proofreading, and cultural exchanges, and participate in conservation and research work at the Mogao Caves. #Dunhuang #CulturalExchange @princetoninasia
2
4
180
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
Two stelae at the Fujian Provincial Museum that merge Christian and Buddhist elements, that once decorated the tombs of foreign merchants in China.
1
5
8
297
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
A Dunhuang art exhibition has opened in Kazakhstan, offering local audiences mural reproductions, digital displays, and immersive VR experiences. Su Fangqiu, Chinese consul general in Almaty, highlighted Dunhuang's role as a bridge between Chinese and Central Asian civilizations. He also hoped Dunhuang's traditional arts, including its murals, would be shown more often in Central Asia.
4
1
9
775
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
How did government officials and Buddhist communities respond to epidemics in medieval China? Join Professor Stephen F. Teiser on 30 October for a fascinating talk, followed by a drinks reception. #IDPLectureSeries 🎟️ Book your ticket: idp.bl.uk/events/healing-rel…
4
10
460
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
Now available free open access - the Urdu translation of Gandharan Art and the Classical World! Free download from @CARC_Oxford or download/purchase from @Archaeopress #Gandhara #Pakistanarchaeology #Urdu carc.ox.ac.uk/carc/publicati…. archaeopress.com/Archaeopres….
3
1
114
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
New book on middle period China: Yi Ding. Observances, Feasts, and Scripts: The Varieties of Zhai in Chinese Buddhism from the Second to the Tenth Century. University of Hawaii Press, 2026. #newbook #medieval #history #religion #china #buddhism uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/obs…
4
14
494
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
Documentary Film “Gardish” on the Archaeological Excavations Conducted by the National Museum at the Sayyod Archaeological Site in Abdurahmon Jomi District. #Tajikistan youtube.com/watch?v=TVQMQj2I…
1
4
1
8
2,200
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
At 95, Chang Shana has forgotten much of her extraordinary life. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, has robbed Chang Shana of most memories. She no longer remembers studying under some of China’s greatest artists, working with architects Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin, designing gifts for international conferences, or serving as president of the Central Academy of Arts and Design. But her face still lights up the moment anyone mentions Dunhuang. As a child, Chang Shana spent years at the Mogao Grottoes, painstakingly copying its ancient murals. She went on to devote her life to preserving and reinterpreting Dunhuang’s artistic legacy. sixthtone.com/news/1018994
10
27
2,671
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
#newbook on early medieval China: Traité juridique du livre des Jin 晉書 « 刑法志 ». Texte presenté, traduit et annoté par Frédéric Constant. Les belles lettres, 2025. lesbelleslettres.com/livre/9… #medieval #china #history #law #chinesehistory
11
27
897
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
At Dunhuang, new technologies are opening up the Mogao Grottoes while helping protect the fragile art that has survived there for more than a thousand years. sixthtone.com/news/1018985
2
5
1,403
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
Delighted to arrive in Brussels as next UK Ambassador to the EU. It was an honour to present true copies of letters of credence from His Majesty The King at the @eu_eeas today. Looking forward to meeting partners across the city and working on this important relationship 🇬🇧 🇪🇺
28
37
5
359
18,976
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
In 1914, Aurel Stein unearthed an extraordinary textile fragment at ancient Loulan in the Tarim basin- showing the unmistakable face of Hermes. A Greek god, discovered in a desert cemetery in what is now western China 1/5
9
37
2
235
32,171
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
#newbook on early medieval China: Stephan N. Kory. Technicians and Artisans of Heaven-and-Earth: Imperial Memories of Diviners, Physicians, and Craftsmen from Mid-Medieval China. Brill, 2025. brill.com/display/title/7242… #china #history #medieval #art #historiography
15
22
1,077
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
Today marks End of Heat, the 14th of China's 24 solar terms. While southern China may still feel lingering heat, most regions welcome crisp autumn air. This pivotal term signals crop maturation and the start of harvest season.🌾 Watch our video to explore this traditions through Dunhuang's ancient manuscripts and murals!
7
11
274
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
We are pleased to be hosting a hybrid conference on 22–23 September on the latest research on the archaeologist Sir Marc Aurel Stein. The programme will include a public lecture exploring the role of women in early 20th‑century Asian travel, work and study. See details below!
1
13
1
29
2,980
Neil Schmid 史瀚文 retweeted
This mural from Cave 299 of the Mogao Caves depicts a king on horseback, bow in hand, riding through a lush mountain landscape, surrounded by dense forests and flowing streams — a glimpse into Dunhuang's timeless art and storytelling.
1
9
1
24
1,244