Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

A Study on the Interactive Communication Path of the Dunhuang Manuscript Heritage Diamond Sutra Based on Serious-Game Narratives

Haoyu LiUniversity of the Arts London*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

This article takes the Dunhuang manuscript heritage Diamond Sutra as a focal case to examine pathways for re-narrating Dunhuang heritage within the discourse of digital humanities. It finds that existing digital applications for Dunhuang manuscripts largely concentrate on image scanning and bibliographic archiving. While such practices realize a form of “formal preservation” in the digital sense, they remain limited in terms of interactive communication—particularly for adolescent audiences. To address this constraint, the study begins with the Diamond Sutra’s historical conditions of emergence, approaching the topic through the lens of craftsmanship and production. It proposes translating the scroll-making process into a participatory digital experience so that users can learn about Dunhuang manuscript culture through embodied engagement. The proposed experience follows a framework of “narrative transposition plus gamified mechanisms,” integrating narrative design, serious games, and mixed-reality technologies (AR/MR). The results suggest that this design paradigm can help convert Dunhuang manuscript heritage from “cold data” into a “warm experience,” injecting new vitality into youth education and offering a viable practical route for the contemporary articulation of Dunhuang manuscript culture.

Keywords: Dunhuang manuscripts; Diamond Sutra; cultural heritage communication; youth education; narrative translation + gamification mechanisms
Published: January 5, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2026.HT31128
Volume: CHR Vol.78
pp. 132-144
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