Reconstructing an "Aura" of Digital Dunhuang: A Study Based on Benjamin Theory

Abstract. This paper explores the impact of digital technologies on the preservation and re-presentation of Dunhuang’s cultural heritage as based on Walter Benjamin's aura theory, and investigates how digital technologies can reconstruct the aura of cultural heritage through the analysis of the Dunhuang digitization projects. The study shows that despite reducing the physical sense of "here and now" (das Hier und Jetzt), cultural relics still retain their aura in the digital realm through enhanced interactivity and immersive experiences that utilize high-resolution scans, virtual reality (VR), and other technologies to reshape the observer's gaze. Additionally, the Dunhuang Academy's "Digital Dunhuang" project integrates high-fidelity images with 3D reconstructions, VR tours, and other technologies to achieve widespread promotion and sharing of this cultural heritage while guaranteeing authenticity. This paper argues that rather than stripping away aura, digital technologies can reconstruct aura within a new medium, sparking a shift in how cultural heritage is valued in modern society. In this way, the digitization of cultural heritage assets provides a dynamic reconstruction of cultural significance and not just a record of history.