Latest news with #Dunhuang
Forbes
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Rolls-Royce Unveils Stunning Trio Inspired By Chinese Mural Art
The bespoke Black Badge Spectre features Qingshan Blue paintwork against a Diamond Black contrast Rolls-Royce's customizations and bespoke projects are truly something to behold. The company's ability to bring artwork and ideas to life in physical representations push the limits of imagination. Underlining its expertise in this area, Rolls-Royce has announced a trio of bespoke commissions inspired by the ancient mural paintings of Dunhuang, China. The project includes Phantom Extended, Black Badge Cullinan, and Black Badge Spectre models. Shuai Feng, Bespoke Designer at Rolls-Royce's Private Office in Shanghai said: "The mural art of the Dunhuang Mogao Caves is one of the most powerful symbols of our cultural heritage here in China. These artworks, created across dynasties, reflect the abstract ideals that have shaped our country's civilisation. Inspired by their colours, forms and symbolism, we reimagined these themes through hand-painted elements and carefully curated bespoke features – a meaningful tribute that reflects Rolls-Royce's creative dialogue with China in a youthful and contemporary manner.' Each detail was hand painted to create a unique dashboard Believed to have first been carved out in 366AD, the Dunhuang Mogao Caves feature around 45,000 sqm of murals and more than 2,000 painted sculptures. The UNESCO World Heritage site is said to represent the greatest Buddhist artwork from the 4th to the 14th century. Located along a strategic point on the ancient Silk Route murals depict key insights into the historic cultural landscape. Today, 492 caves are preserved and most recently, a library cave was discovered in 1990 which housed tens of thousands of manuscripts. With such a rich history to draw on, the clients worked with the Rolls-Royce team at the company's private office in Shanghai to create the final designs. The collaborative design work produced a motif dubbed Silken Spirit. The concept represents China's cultural history combined with the Spirit of Ecstasy and the fluid nature of imperial silk. Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Every car has a unique take on the common Chinese mural art theme Stepping outside of the caves, the Phantom Extended's Ningye Purple paintwork is inspired by the skies above the Great Wall of China. The color gets its name from a poetic description from an 800 AD Tang Dynasty verse. The deep hue is set against English White and a Ningye Purple Silken Spirit motif is hand-painted on the C-pillar Externally, this is perhaps the most understated commission of the trio Inside, there's a starlight headliner with 1,344 fibre-optic 'stars' and 192 'shooting stars'. The night sky shines down on a hand-painted landscape on black leather. To add another texture to the piece, the Silken Spirit motif is embroidered in white and black, designed as a nod to flying apsaras – celestial beings in Buddhist art. Hand-painted artwork makes this Phantom Extended one of a kind Chloe Dowsett, Bespoke Artist at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said: 'To bring this sense of depth and rhythm to the Gallery, I adapted a Chinese technique known as reduction block printing, where the artwork is gradually pressed onto a canvas using the same block of wood, re-crafted between paint layers. Once each layer is applied, the block is carefully re-carved to add depth and detail with the subsequent colour. 'Reinterpreting this method by hand, I used a fine sable brush in place of carved wood, painting every single colour individually and consecutively, allowing the image to emerge across the surface. Tiny areas of unpainted leather are deliberately left exposed, creating the illusion of carved block printing.' Rolls-Royce Black Badge Cullinan The Black Badge Cullinan wears Danqian Pink paintwork The Black Badge Cullinan Series II is the most eye-catching model of the trio with its Danqian Pink paintwork. The pink theme continues inside with blushing pink leather and more than 100,000 tiny perforations to create cloud patterns across the leather. The bright front seats contrast against navy leather in the rear with blushing pink piping and stitching. As well as custom leather patterns, the team created a bespoke headliner Again, the Silken Spirit motif features throughout the vehicle including in a contrasting black on the C-pillar and more prominently inside. The Black Badge Cullinan's custom starlight headliner is arranged in a Silken Spirit graphic and illuminated with blushing pink lights and white 'shooting stars'. The Danqian Pink paintwork highlights the Cullinan's lines Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre Rolls-Royce prides itself with bringing art to life in 2D and 3D forms A two-tone Diamond Black and Qingshan Blue Black Badge Spectre completes the commissions. Its special paint color was inspired by the mountain blues and greeny tones seen in the Dunhuang murals. At the front, a turchese illuminated grille finishes off the exterior specification. The interior feels bright and airy with the turchese leather against black details The color scheme carries through to the inside with contrasting turchese and black leather. Illuminated treadplates bear the Silken Spirit motif and the Spectre also features starlight doors and a starlight headliner with more than 1,000 stars individually placed by Rolls-Royce's craftspeople.
Mint
6 days ago
- Business
- Mint
YouTuber Mr Beast reportedly to make livestream debut on Chinese video platform Kuaishou, stock up 7%. Details here
YouTuber Mr Beast is reported to be launching his first live stream on a Chinese video platform named Kuaishou on 26 July 2025, according to a local Chinese news portal on Wednesday, 23 July 2025. The shares of Kuaishou Technology listed on the Hang Seng index closed over 7% higher after the development. The short video platform will feature Chinese cultural elements, including a Dunhuang mural painting challenge and hanfu quick-change, along with AI real-time translation to allow seamless interaction between Chinese and English-speaking viewers, according to a The Standard Hong Kong report. According to data collected from YouTube, Mr Beast has more than 415 million subscribers on his main channel, where Jimmy Donaldson and his crew make entertainment videos which cross 100 million views on average. Mr Beast has reportedly shown interest in the Chinese market before including launching a social media account on Bilibili, according to the news portal's report. Kuaishou Technology's share price closed 7.08% higher at HK$77.90 after Wednesday's stock market session on the Hang Seng index, compared to HK$72.75 at the previous market session. The shares jumped to HK$78.85 during the intraday session on Wednesday, 23 July 2025. The Kuaishou Technology shares have lost 74% in the last five years. However, the stock has gained more than 74.86% in the last one-year period. On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, the shares have jumped 92.11% in 2025, and is trading 12.65% higher in the last five market session on the Hong Kong-based stock exchange. The stock hit its 52-week high level on Wednesday, 23 July 2025, after the reports on Mr Beast at HK$78.85, while the 52-week low level was at HK$37.55, according to the data collected from MarketWatch. Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
South China Morning Post
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong 2025 summer exhibitions see young artists explore identity and tradition
A number of exhibitions in Hong Kong this summer offer windows into what emerging artists make of the world they are inheriting, their coping mechanisms and ways of engaging with their adopted materials. 'Art Actions: Our Youth Our Future', a small show at the non-profit art incubator Hart Haus, pairs three Hong Kong awardees of the annual Hart Award with three diasporic international artists. Elsa Ngai Se-ngaa, who received the Hart Award for promising artists upon graduating from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), has a personal style that reflects a solid grounding in Chinese art. On show at the exhibition, her pair of 2025 works titled Transformation I and Transformation II, painted with mineral pigments, are reminiscent of the faded, ancient murals of the Mogao Caves – a Unesco World Heritage site in Dunhuang , in China's Gansu province, which has become a popular cultural reference for Hong Kong artists in recent years thanks to more opportunities to study its history and to visit. Transformation II, by Elsa Ngai, at Hart Haus. Photo: Elsa Ngai Transformation II, by Elsa Ngai, at Hart Haus. Photo: Elsa Ngai Ngai's half-formed, sensual nudes in the foreground – playful and organic forms that seem to emerge from the outlines of mountains – are apt symbols of a new artistic identity shaking free of past constraints.
Borneo Post
02-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
East China's time-honoured ceramic industry sees export boom
A staff member operates at a workshop of Dehua Huamao Ceramics Co Ltd in Dehua County of southeast China's Fujian Province on June 10, 2025. – Xinhua photo FUZHOU (July 3): Every June, ceramic enterprises in Dehua County, east China's Fujian Province, enter their busiest production season as international clients place advance orders for Christmas and other holidays. At Quanzhou Shunmei Group Co Ltd, rows of Christmas-themed ceramic figurines are being carefully packed for export. 'Although international trade remains challenging and some orders have been impacted, we remain confident,' said Zheng Pengfei, the company's general manager. 'This year, we're actively exploring emerging markets, reducing dependence on a sole market, and participating in domestic and international expos to tap into new demand,' he added. Despite rising raw material costs and uncertainties in global demand, Dehua's ceramic industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience. From January to April this year, the county's ceramic exports had exceeded 1.2 billion yuan (about US$167 million), representing a 23.69 per cent year-on-year increase, according to official data. An ancient county with centuries of ceramic-making history and famed for its white porcelain, Dehua has established a full industrial chain that spans kaolin mining, clay processing, mold-making, glazing, forming and sales. More than 4,500 ceramic enterprises operate in the county, employing over 100,000 people. Dehua ceramics are now exported to more than 190 countries and regions worldwide. Industry insiders say Dehua's success lies in its shift from competing on price to competing on design, branding and production efficiency, driven by a strong focus on innovation and transformation. 'Our output value reached 200 million yuan in 2024, with average annual growth of 20 per cent in recent years,' said Zeng Liangwang, deputy general manager of Fujian Dehua Tongxin Ceramics Co Ltd. He noted that the company is accelerating the development of 'ceramics-plus' products, including artistic and smart flowerpots and festive homeware, which are now sold to over 50 countries and regions. The Tangfeng Ceramics Co Ltd developed a tea set inspired by China's Dunhuang murals, as part of its efforts to enhance product value through storytelling and cultural integration. 'Teaware with cultural depth is more attractive to consumers and allows us to increase added value,' said the company's general manager Li Jianyang. 'As industry competition intensifies, we must dig deeper into our cultural heritage.' Likewise, Shunmei is forging cooperation with world-renowned brands like Disney and Universal Studios, whose intellectual property has made its products more appealing to global consumers. Meanwhile, a wave of intelligent transformation is reshaping the production landscape, with widespread adoption of technologies like 3D clay printing, 5G-enabled smart factories, and automated casting machines. In Tongxin Ceramics' 3D printing zone, once the modeling is finished, the data is transmitted to the printer. A hollow, sculptural flower vase that once took hours to craft can now be produced in just 30 minutes. In addition, Tongxin operates 75 automated production lines at full capacity. It takes just 10 seconds to press a lump of clay into a flower pot, 15 seconds for a mold to complete the slip-casting process, and only 10 minutes for a fully automated line to complete an entire production cycle. Dehua Huamao Ceramics Co Ltd has established a 5G-enabled network that connects its production equipment and enables real-time monitoring. 'Our data system collects key process indicators to support continuous optimisation,' said Chen Weibin, deputy general manager of Huamao Ceramics. The local government is committed to building a complete 'ceramic industry ecosystem' covering raw material supply, technological innovation and talent development, with the goal of providing sustained momentum for the industry's long-term growth. 'Behind the resilience of the ceramics industry is the joint efforts of enterprises and government,' said Zeng Xiansheng, an official with the ceramics development committee of Dehua. – Xinhua ceramic China Dehua County Xinhua
Borneo Post
02-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
East China's time-honored ceramic industry sees export boom
A staff member operates at a workshop of Dehua Huamao Ceramics Co Ltd in Dehua County of southeast China's Fujian Province on June 10, 2025. – Xinhua photo FUZHOU (July 3): Every June, ceramic enterprises in Dehua County, east China's Fujian Province, enter their busiest production season as international clients place advance orders for Christmas and other holidays. At Quanzhou Shunmei Group Co Ltd, rows of Christmas-themed ceramic figurines are being carefully packed for export. 'Although international trade remains challenging and some orders have been impacted, we remain confident,' said Zheng Pengfei, the company's general manager. 'This year, we're actively exploring emerging markets, reducing dependence on a sole market, and participating in domestic and international expos to tap into new demand,' he added. Despite rising raw material costs and uncertainties in global demand, Dehua's ceramic industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience. From January to April this year, the county's ceramic exports had exceeded 1.2 billion yuan (about US$167 million), representing a 23.69 per cent year-on-year increase, according to official data. An ancient county with centuries of ceramic-making history and famed for its white porcelain, Dehua has established a full industrial chain that spans kaolin mining, clay processing, mold-making, glazing, forming and sales. More than 4,500 ceramic enterprises operate in the county, employing over 100,000 people. Dehua ceramics are now exported to more than 190 countries and regions worldwide. Industry insiders say Dehua's success lies in its shift from competing on price to competing on design, branding and production efficiency, driven by a strong focus on innovation and transformation. 'Our output value reached 200 million yuan in 2024, with average annual growth of 20 per cent in recent years,' said Zeng Liangwang, deputy general manager of Fujian Dehua Tongxin Ceramics Co Ltd. He noted that the company is accelerating the development of 'ceramics-plus' products, including artistic and smart flowerpots and festive homeware, which are now sold to over 50 countries and regions. The Tangfeng Ceramics Co Ltd developed a tea set inspired by China's Dunhuang murals, as part of its efforts to enhance product value through storytelling and cultural integration. 'Teaware with cultural depth is more attractive to consumers and allows us to increase added value,' said the company's general manager Li Jianyang. 'As industry competition intensifies, we must dig deeper into our cultural heritage.' Likewise, Shunmei is forging cooperation with world-renowned brands like Disney and Universal Studios, whose intellectual property has made its products more appealing to global consumers. Meanwhile, a wave of intelligent transformation is reshaping the production landscape, with widespread adoption of technologies like 3D clay printing, 5G-enabled smart factories, and automated casting machines. In Tongxin Ceramics' 3D printing zone, once the modeling is finished, the data is transmitted to the printer. A hollow, sculptural flower vase that once took hours to craft can now be produced in just 30 minutes. In addition, Tongxin operates 75 automated production lines at full capacity. It takes just 10 seconds to press a lump of clay into a flower pot, 15 seconds for a mold to complete the slip-casting process, and only 10 minutes for a fully automated line to complete an entire production cycle. Dehua Huamao Ceramics Co Ltd has established a 5G-enabled network that connects its production equipment and enables real-time monitoring. 'Our data system collects key process indicators to support continuous optimisation,' said Chen Weibin, deputy general manager of Huamao Ceramics. The local government is committed to building a complete 'ceramic industry ecosystem' covering raw material supply, technological innovation and talent development, with the goal of providing sustained momentum for the industry's long-term growth. 'Behind the resilience of the ceramics industry is the joint efforts of enterprises and government,' said Zeng Xiansheng, an official with the ceramics development committee of Dehua. – Xinhua ceramic China Dehua County Xinhua
