Dunhuang Art: Through the Eyes of Duan Wenjie

Dunhuang Art: Through the Eyes of Duan Wenjie

Prof. Duan Wenjie whose writings are translated in this volume is a scholar, administrator and Director of Dunhuang Academy from 1982 till date. The Academy has become a world-famous center of Dunhuang studies under his dynamic leadership. Prof. Tan Chung, editor of this volume, is Professor Consultant of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. His father, Prof. Tan Yun-Shan, was a life-long associate of Gurudeva Rabindranath tagore, and the creator of the Sino-Indian Cultural Society and Visva-Bharti Cheena-Bhavana. Tan Chung taught in Indian universities and other institutes for thirty years and just retired from Jawaharlal Nehru University as Professor of Chinese. He has authored two important books on the history of the 19th century China: China and the Brave New World and Triton and Dragon, and contributed a book to the ?Classics of the East? series of the M.P. Birla Foundation on Chinese Classical Poetry. He has recently edited a special issue on ?India and China? for the ICCR journal. Through his writings and his association with academic institutions, Prof. Tan Chung has provided a fresh outlook for viewing China?s past different from some western critical commentaries. He is carrying on the work of poet Tagore and his distinguished father in deepening and enriching the dialogue between the two great civilizations, India and China, specially through the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, who writes the stimulating Foreword for the volume, has provided the vision, inspiration, and support for the volume. She is a leading art historian and renowned administrator of cultural departments and academic institutions in India. She has become an important cultural bridge between India and China. Mrs. Bagyakakshmi and Miss Sonu Agnihotri who have translated Duan Wenjie?s articles are research scholars of Jawaharlal Nehru University. The former also assists Prof. Tan Chung in the East Asian Programme of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. Mr. Vineet Kumar who helps to produce the book and gives it a magnificent appearance is an artist who has had more than two years? training in Chinese painting in China.