Silver Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design · 2025
Dunhuang Lute Cultural Storytelling Trendy Toys
by Xinming Liu
- A' Design Award 2025 Silver Winner in Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Lumi Design
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 74,552
- Verification code 89CA3C8FA8 · Verify this award
About Dunhuang Lute Cultural Storytelling Trendy Toys
The pipa (Chinese lute) is one of the most frequently depicted instruments in Dunhuang murals, with 689 different representations. The pipa's performance evolved over time, from the powerful plucking style of the Tang dynasty to the more delicate finger plucking that expressed deep emotion. This evolution inspired the toy design, combining cultural heritage with a modern, engaging format to introduce the rich history and expressive power of the pipa to younger audiences.
Xinming Liu's Dunhuang Lute Cultural Storytelling Trendy Toys emerges from the rich intersection of ancient Silk Road artistic heritage and contemporary designer toy culture, translating the ethereal apsara musicians depicted in centuries-old cave murals into a sculptural form that speaks to modern collectors while preserving profound spiritual resonance. The work demonstrates remarkable sensitivity in navigating the translation of two-dimensional devotional imagery into three-dimensional collectible format, maintaining the essential grace and celestial quality of its source material while embracing the material vocabulary and aesthetic conventions of vinyl art toys. Technical accomplishment manifests throughout the sculptural treatment: the flowing celestial ribbons achieve particularly noteworthy success, their sweeping curves creating dynamic visual energy that suggests heavenly flight while their careful arrangement frames the central figure within an organic heart-shaped silhouette. The chromatic program exhibits sophisticated understanding of color relationship, deploying warm chocolate brown as grounding foundation against which golden yellows and cool celadon-aquamarine ribbons create complementary tension resolved through careful value and saturation balance. The seated figure upon the lotus base invokes the visual language of Buddhist sculpture, positioning the musician within traditions of spiritual iconography that span millennia, while the pipa lute held in playing position identifies this particular celestial being as one of the famed musicians whose images adorned sacred spaces along ancient trade routes. Surface treatment in high-gloss finish honors contemporary collectible conventions while creating luminous presence through environmental reflection. The simplified facial features, rendered with characteristic designer toy minimalism, achieve remarkable expressive success: closed eyes and gentle smile convey meditative peace while maintaining approachable charm. One might observe how this work participates in broader contemporary movements of cultural heritage reinterpretation, finding new audiences and contexts for traditional imagery through thoughtful formal translation. What meanings might emerge when ancient sacred imagery enters the domestic space as treasured collectible?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Dunhuang Lute blends traditional Chinese elements with modern design, using illustrated books and toys as the core. Inspired by Dunhuang murals, it explores how to convey historical depth through digital illustrations. The character designs, based on ancient sculptures, highlight dynastic facial features while avoiding modern toy trends. Targeting teens, the project offers an educational approach to Chinese history and culture, making Dunhuang’s heritage and the Pipa instrument accessible and appealing to today’s youth.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Small: 15cm x 10cm x 10cm
Large: 30cm x 20cm x 20cm - Tags
- Trendy toys,Traditional Chinese elements, Educational design, Digital illustration
- Production Technology
- Modeling was done using ZBrush, followed by 3D printing to adjust the character design, and rendering with KeyShot.
- Design Challenge
- The process was filled with challenges, primarily the transition from two-dimensional designs to three-dimensional figurines. The modeling required careful consideration of various viewing angles, necessitating repeated adjustments based on the initial flat designs. Given the educational nature of the project, the characters' poses needed to be both accurate and meticulously crafted. Each character underwent multiple revisions, with new issues emerging even after adjustments, requiring further refinement before reaching the final form.
Technically, several difficulties were overcome, such as the excessive use of subdivision surfaces during modeling, which complicated subsequent animation production. To address this, low-poly models were used for the animation phase and then recolored. Despite these challenges, solutions were gradually developed as the project progressed. - Project Duration
- Starts in Beijing in January and ends in September 2022
- Operation Flow
- Through interactive play, the Dunhuang Lute collectible toy set bridges ancient mural art and modern lifestyles. Each toy character is meticulously crafted based on figures from Dunhuang murals, embodying distinct historical aesthetics. Users can engage with the toy by assembling its modular parts, which represent different cultural elements, creating an intuitive hands-on connection with history.
The accompanying illustrated book enhances this experience by providing detailed stories behind the murals, highlighting their evolution across dynasties. Readers can explore the historical context of each mural and understand the cultural significance of their design.
Key moments in interaction include assembling the figure, discovering its detailed craftsmanship, and referencing the book for historical insights. This combination allows users to connect visually and intellectually, making the murals accessible in a tangible form. The integration of toys and stories offers a unique learning tool, transforming traditional art into an engaging medium for education and appreciation, particularly for younger audiences. This approach fosters a deeper understanding of Dunhuang's cultural legacy, making it more relatable and captivating. - Research
- With the growing cultural confidence among China's younger generation, traditional Chinese artistic expressions are gaining increasing popularity. The author believes that Chinese-style design should go beyond the mere application of external elements, instead integrating aesthetic forms with historical and cultural depth by uncovering the intrinsic charm of traditional culture.
In this project, the author focuses on the pipa (Chinese lute) depicted in Dunhuang murals, drawing inspiration from the colors and stylistic elements of different periods of the Dunhuang caves. The result is a picture book and IP (Intellectual Property) characters that showcase over a millennium of the pipa's history and cultural significance, from the Northern Dynasties to the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The design also analyzes the pipa's structure and features, presenting Dunhuang's pipa culture in a visually engaging format.
This project explores ways to blend traditional culture with modern trends. For the facial makeup and costumes of the IP characters, the design strictly adheres to the distinct features of different historical periods as depicted in Dunhuang’s music and dance murals. By transforming mural-style imagery into contemporary illustration, the picture book interweaves text and imagery to narrate the cultural heritage of the Silk Road carried by the pipa. This approach reintroduces this rich cultural history in a form that resonates with and appeals to younger audiences. - Inspiration
- This project reimagines traditional pipa elements from Dunhuang murals, integrating the aesthetic styles and colors of different eras from the Northern Dynasties to the Song-Yuan period. The IP characters feature makeup and attire inspired by iconic mural imagery, translated into contemporary illustration styles.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Rendering Artist: Xinming Liu, 2022.
Image #2: Rendering Artist: Xinming Liu, 2022.
Image #3: Rendering Artist: Xinming Liu, 2022.
Image #4: Illustrator: Xinming Liu, 2022.
Image #5: Illustrator: Xinming Liu, 2022.
Colors of Dunhuang Lute Cultural Storytelling Trendy Toys
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Cultural Educational Toy and Book Design Services
We transform traditional cultural narratives into engaging educational toys and illustrated books for young audiences. Our award-winning design approach combines historical authenticity with contemporary appeal, creating products that make heritage accessible and captivating for today's youth.
G0E23 ShopGrand Interview about Dunhuang Lute Cultural Storytelling Trendy Toys
Dunhuang murals carry a profound sense of history and cultural identity. I believe that for any civilization, looking back at its own heritage is essential to sustaining its vitality in the present and future. Growing up in China, I was surrounded by a culture that is deeply rooted in mythology, spirituality, and symbolic narratives that often transcend everyday human experience. These cultural layers have always fascinated me as a designer.When I began working on this project, I wanted to find a contemporary visual language that young audiences could immediately connect with while still preserving the spirit of the original artwork. My goal was not simply to reproduce the mural imagery, but to reinterpret it through a modern medium that feels approachable, playful, and relevant to today's generation.Many of the original Dunhuang paintings have weathered over centuries. Their colors have faded, and parts of the imagery have gradually disappeared. By transforming the pipa(lute) figures from these ancient murals into collectible toys, I hoped to bring these cultural treasures back into public view and spark curiosity about the stories behind them.As both a designer and a cultural communicator, I see this as an important part of my practice: creating bridges between historical heritage and contemporary audiences, allowing traditional culture to be rediscovered through forms that resonate with modern life.(Note: The project was originally titled using the term "lute" to make the instrument more recognizable to Western audiences. However, I now prefer to use "pipa," as it more accurately reflects the instrument's unique cultural and historical identity.)
This is a very interesting question because Dunhuang art spans an exceptionally long period of history, from the Northern Wei Dynasty through the Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties. Across these centuries, the visual appearance of the figures, their clothing, aesthetics, and cultural meanings evolved significantly.My challenge was to preserve the distinctive characteristics of each period while creating a unified toy series that would feel cohesive and accessible to contemporary audiences. To achieve this, I retained the historical differences through color palettes, silhouettes, costumes, and decorative details, while using a consistent designer-toy language to unify the collection.For example, in the Northern Wei period, mural paintings often featured strong black and red tones. These colors held special significance within the nomadic cultures that influenced the region at the time. Inspired by this historical context, I designed the Northern Wei character with darker skin tones and a bold color scheme that reflects the visual spirit of the era.In contrast, the Tang Dynasty celebrated fuller and more graceful feminine beauty. For the Tang-inspired figure, I emphasized soft facial features, rosy complexions, and a sense of abundance and confidence that reflects the aesthetic ideals of that period.The Song Dynasty presented a different cultural atmosphere. As urban life and civic culture flourished, the pipa became more closely connected to everyday society rather than existing solely within religious or celestial imagery. Historical records and stories from this period show the instrument appearing in fortune-telling, entertainment, and daily cultural life. As a result, my Song-inspired character feels more approachable and human-centered. The costume and visual details draw more heavily from Han Chinese traditions and everyday life, creating a contrast with the more sacred, Buddhist, or Central Asian influences seen in earlier periods.Throughout the project, I conducted extensive research into the artistic styles, social contexts, and cultural symbols of each dynasty. Rather than directly replicating historical imagery, I distilled these characteristics into a contemporary visual language, allowing each character to retain its historical identity while remaining part of a unified and engaging collection for today's audience.
This was one of the most practical and important challenges in the project. Dunhuang murals are essentially two-dimensional images, and my initial character designs also began as 2D illustrations. However, I felt that for young audiences, especially in the context of designer toys, the characters should not only be seen but also held, touched, and experienced physically. That made the transition into 3D essential.The main challenge was imagining what existed beyond the flat mural surface. When transforming the figures into three-dimensional forms, I had to consider spatial details that were not fully shown in the original paintings, such as the direction of the flowing ribbons, the structure of the garments, and the relationship between the front, side, and back of each costume.To maintain cultural authenticity, I researched clothing structures from different historical periods, including how garments were tied, layered, and shaped. For example, the Yuan Dynasty heavenly king figure has a more armored and military quality, which is very different from the graceful, dancing feeling of Tang Dynasty flying apsaras. These distinctions helped me define the personality and physical form of each toy.Instead of treating the mural figures as flat decorative patterns, I imagined each of them as a real character with a body, costume, posture, and cultural background. From there, I rebuilt them in 3D software and adjusted the forms so they could be physically produced while still preserving the spirit of the original imagery.For me, the process was not simply about converting 2D into 3D. It was about reconstructing a cultural image into an object that people can interact with, while respecting the historical logic behind its visual language.
One of the reasons I chose to include pipa figures from multiple historical periods—from the Northern Dynasties to the Song and Yuan dynasties—was that this timeline reveals something important about the development of Chinese culture itself.When people think about Chinese history, they sometimes imagine it as a single, continuous cultural tradition. However, the reality is much more diverse and dynamic. The China we know today was shaped through centuries of exchange, migration, and interaction among different ethnic groups, regions, and belief systems.Dunhuang provides a remarkable visual record of this process. For example, during the Northern Wei period, the ruling class originated from nomadic peoples of the northern steppes, and their artistic traditions influenced the imagery found in the caves. During the Tang Dynasty, China maintained extensive connections with Central Asia, Persia, and regions further west along the Silk Road. As a result, many mural figures display features such as deep-set eyes, prominent noses, and curled beards—characteristics that challenge the simplified image many people may have of what a “Chinese” figure looks like.As I studied Dunhuang, I became increasingly fascinated by how these artworks document cultural exchange across centuries. They show that Chinese civilization was not formed in isolation but evolved through continuous dialogue with neighboring cultures. I felt this story was highly relevant for contemporary audiences.By selecting characters from different dynasties, I wanted each figure to represent not only a musical instrument or a visual style, but also the social atmosphere, aesthetic preferences, and cultural values of its time. Together, these characters form a miniature timeline of history, allowing people to explore how ideas, fashions, beliefs, and identities changed over the centuries.From an educational perspective, I hope the series encourages viewers to look beyond the surface beauty of Dunhuang art and discover the rich cultural diversity behind it. These small figures become storytellers of their eras, helping younger generations understand how history, cultural exchange, and artistic innovation collectively shaped the civilization we know today.
This question touches on the core motivation behind the project.In recent years, there has been a growing interest in traditional Chinese culture, and many "Guochao" (China-style) products have emerged. While this trend has brought greater visibility to cultural heritage, I sometimes feel that traditional culture is reduced to a collection of recognizable symbols. Designers repeatedly use the same visual elements—a flying apsara from Dunhuang, Tang-style floral patterns, or ornate historical costumes—without exploring the deeper cultural narratives behind them.For me, cultural confidence is not about repeating familiar symbols. It is about understanding the history, values, and human stories that those symbols represent.When creating Dunhuang Lute, I did not want audiences to see Dunhuang as simply a beautiful image of celestial dancers floating through the desert. Instead, I wanted people to recognize it as a living record of centuries of history. Each character in the series reflects a different era, a different social environment, and a different understanding of beauty.This is why some of the figures may challenge people's expectations. Not every character is elegant, delicate, or conventionally beautiful. One might be a strong and heavy-set heavenly king. Another might be a dark-skinned, slender pipa player inspired by the cultural influences of the Northern Wei period. These differences are intentional. They encourage viewers to ask questions: Why does this character look this way? What historical context shaped this appearance? What does it reveal about the society that created it?I hope these toys can serve as an entry point for young people to engage with traditional culture in a more meaningful way. Rather than accepting cultural symbols at face value, they are invited to explore the stories, beliefs, aesthetics, and worldviews behind them.Ultimately, I believe genuine cultural confidence comes from understanding rather than imitation. By presenting a diverse range of characters and deliberately moving beyond familiar stereotypes, I hope to inspire curiosity about the richness and complexity of Chinese history, and encourage people to experience these cultural traditions within their original historical context rather than through modern assumptions alone.
Beyond the five collectible characters themselves, I also designed an illustrated storybook that accompanies the series. The book introduces the historical background and cultural context behind each character, creating a narrative layer that extends beyond the physical toys.I have always believed that the most meaningful learning does not necessarily happen in classrooms. Often, it happens in small everyday moments—before bedtime, around the dinner table, or during casual conversations between family members. With this project, I wanted to create an experience where history could be discovered naturally through curiosity and play.The interactive aspect of the project lies in the relationship between the toy and its story. A young person may first be attracted to a character because it looks interesting or distinctive. Then, through a short and accessible narrative, they can begin to understand the historical world behind that character.Rather than asking audiences to read lengthy museum texts or invest significant time learning the rules of a complex game, I wanted to lower the threshold for engagement. A toy can become an invitation to explore history. A brief story can open a window into a culture that might otherwise feel distant or unfamiliar.For example, through the characters, audiences may discover that more than a thousand years ago China was already connected to Central Asia through extensive cultural exchange along the Silk Road. They might learn how the construction of the pipa evolved over time—from strings made from animal tendons to later technological developments—and how these seemingly small changes reflected broader shifts in society, craftsmanship, trade, and daily life.In this sense, the project acts as a bridge between ancient mural art and contemporary forms of engagement. The toys provide an emotional connection, while the stories provide cultural depth. Together, they transform historical knowledge from something distant and academic into something personal, approachable, and memorable.Today, we live in a world filled with constant distractions and competing sources of attention. Through this project, I hope to create a small but meaningful space where people can pause, encounter an unexpected historical story, and develop a deeper appreciation for the cultural experiences of those who lived centuries before us.
One of my primary goals was to bring the extraordinary artistic and cultural heritage of Dunhuang—something that has remained hidden in the desert and preserved through centuries of history—into the view of a younger generation.The challenge, however, was how to make historical culture approachable without reducing it to pure entertainment. My answer was to create characters that feel inviting and emotionally accessible, while still preserving a sense of historical depth.Interestingly, I did not rely on the typical visual language of "cute" characters with oversized eyes and exaggerated expressions. In fact, all of the characters in this series have their eyes gently closed. This was a deliberate choice. I wanted to convey a feeling of calmness, contemplation, and quiet enjoyment—a state of mind that I often encounter when studying history and traditional art.Through my research on the pipa, I became fascinated by how differently people experienced the world in earlier centuries. Early pipa strings were made from animal tendons, producing a much softer sound than modern instruments. The instrument was often played with a wooden plectrum rather than contemporary materials. These details suggest a world in which people were more attuned to subtle sounds, changing light, and small sensory experiences.This sensitivity to quiet beauty became an important inspiration for the project. Rather than competing for attention through highly saturated colors, overwhelming visual effects, or immersive technologies, I wanted the work to invite a slower and more reflective form of engagement.If someone encounters one of these characters, I hope they first feel a sense of peace and curiosity. Then, perhaps later, a question begins to emerge: Why was the pipa shaped differently a thousand years ago? Why do some mural figures have darker skin tones or features that seem unfamiliar to modern audiences? What does that reveal about the people, cultures, and exchanges that existed at the time?For me, this is how design can strengthen the connection between learning and history. Rather than presenting information directly, it encourages people to ask questions. Curiosity becomes the starting point for exploration, and those small moments of wonder can lead to a deeper understanding of the past.Ultimately, my work is an invitation to look back at history with openness and imagination—to discover not only what people created in the past, but also how they perceived the world around them.
The illustrated book plays a crucial role in the overall experience of the project because it provides the historical and cultural context that the toys alone cannot fully communicate.I designed the book and the physical toys as complementary parts of a single storytelling system. While the toys create an emotional connection with the audience, the book provides the knowledge and narratives that help deepen that connection.The story begins with a map of Dunhuang. I felt this was important because Dunhuang's unique geographical location is central to understanding its cultural significance. Situated at the western edge of China's traditional heartland and connected to Central Asia and the Middle East through the Silk Road, Dunhuang became a crossroads where different cultures, religions, artistic traditions, and technologies met and interacted.By introducing the geography first, readers gain an understanding of why Dunhuang became such an important cultural center. From there, the book moves chronologically through different historical periods, introducing the characters associated with each era while explaining the social and cultural characteristics of that time.The evolution of the pipa serves as one of the key narrative threads throughout the book. Readers can discover how the instrument changed over centuries—for example, how the neck of the pipa evolved from a bent form to a straight form through cultural exchange and adaptation, how the number of strings changed, and how string materials developed over time. These seemingly small design details reveal broader stories about technological innovation, migration, and cultural integration.To make the information more engaging, each historical section is accompanied by a character from that period who acts as a guide. Rather than presenting history as a collection of facts, the characters help transform the learning experience into a conversation. Readers are not simply studying a timeline—they are meeting a companion from each era who introduces the customs, aesthetics, and stories of their world.This approach helps make historical knowledge more approachable, especially for younger audiences. By combining collectible toys with narrative storytelling, the project creates both an emotional and educational connection, allowing people to explore history through curiosity, imagination, and personal engagement rather than through passive observation alone.
When considering the production process for this project, my primary concern was preserving the cultural and visual authenticity of the designs while remaining realistic about what could be achieved as an independent creator.At the beginning, I developed the figures as digital 3D models. However, I quickly realized that many of the manufacturing methods commonly used in commercial designer toys were not ideal for this project. Contemporary collectible toys are often produced through a modular assembly process, where different colors are separated into individual components—for example, the face, hair, and accessories are manufactured as separate pieces and then assembled together.While this approach is efficient for mass production, it can also limit the level of detail and continuity that I wanted to preserve in these historically inspired characters. Many of the design elements in the series are quite intricate, including jewelry, costume ornaments, and the structural details of the pipa itself. Some features, such as the tuning pegs on the bent-neck pipa or delicate decorative accessories, are small but culturally significant details that contribute to the authenticity of each historical period.For this reason, I chose to use 3D printing as the primary production method. This process allowed me to maintain a much higher level of fidelity to the original digital models and preserve subtle details that might otherwise be simplified or lost during industrial manufacturing.After printing, the figures were finished through hand painting, which provided additional flexibility in reproducing the distinctive colors and decorative characteristics associated with different dynasties. This combination of digital modeling, 3D printing, and hand finishing enabled me to balance technical feasibility with artistic integrity.Ultimately, durability was important, but preserving the historical details and cultural character of the figures was even more important. I wanted each toy to feel not only like a collectible object, but also like a carefully crafted interpretation of a specific moment in Dunhuang's artistic history.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue exploring Chinese cultural heritage through focused, place-based storytelling. Rather than creating broad collections that cover many unrelated topics, I am interested in deeply researching a specific location, its history, and the cultural narratives that have developed around it over time.Dunhuang Pipa Tales began with Dunhuang, but there are countless other places throughout China that hold equally rich stories. For example, regions such as Jiuzhaigou, with its legends and natural wonders, or Tianchi in northeastern China, with its mythology and local traditions, all contain layers of cultural memory that extend far beyond their physical landscapes.What fascinates me is that many of these places are not remembered solely because of their geography. Over centuries, people have attached stories, beliefs, values, and imagination to them. Mountains are not merely mountains, and lakes are not merely lakes. They become symbols of spiritual aspirations, collective memory, and cultural identity.Dunhuang is a perfect example of this phenomenon. Despite being located on the edge of the desert, it became a brilliant center of artistic and cultural exchange along the Silk Road. Its significance comes not only from its physical location, but also from the ideas, stories, and human experiences that accumulated there across generations.In my future work, I hope to continue uncovering these cultural narratives and the intangible values they carry. I am particularly interested in exploring the spiritual, historical, and symbolic dimensions of cultural heritage—those aspects that go beyond physical artifacts and reveal how people understood the world around them.My goal is to translate these stories into forms that contemporary audiences, especially younger generations, can connect with. Whether through collectible toys, illustrated books, interactive experiences, or new storytelling formats, I hope to transform cultural heritage into something tangible, engaging, and emotionally meaningful.Ultimately, I see design as a bridge between the past and the present. By giving historical narratives contemporary forms, I hope to help preserve cultural memory while encouraging new generations to discover the richness and diversity of the traditions that shaped them.