The Paper learned that Ning Qiang, a 63-year-old Dunhuang scholar, professor at the School of International Journalism and Communication of Beijing Foreign Studies University, dean of the Academy of Arts, and artist, recently passed away due to illness while on a business trip to Dunhuang.
Li Song, a professor at Peking University and an art historian, told The Paper on November 23, “I was shocked to hear that Ning Qiang had passed away in Dunhuang due to illness. I quickly contacted his wife to confirm the news. I had known him for 40 years. He was only 63 years old this year and looked to be in good spirits. His eyes were always bright. He started his career in Dunhuang and eventually returned to Dunhuang, fulfilling his dream of ‘flying to the heavens’ in art.”
Ning Qiang (1962-2025)
Ning Qiang's WeChat Moments was last updated at 00:01 on November 21, 2025, showing the location as Mogao Village, Dunhuang. The text Ning Qiang posted late at night read: "I came to the 'Dunhuang Art Tribe' in Mogao Village to attend the opening ceremony and art exhibition of the 'Gaoshan Art Museum,' and also to finalize the renovation of the 'Professor Ning Qiang Studio.'"
Ningqiang's WeChat Moments
Upon hearing the news of Ning Qiang's unexpected passing, Peking University professor Li Song said, "I'm so shocked! His passing was so sudden! I met Brother Ning Qiang in the mid-1980s. At that time, he had just graduated from Sichuan University and went to Dunhuang, full of youthful vigor. Several newspapers featured him in special reports, praising him as an advanced figure. He also focused on the study of Dunhuang art, showing his talent early on and gaining the favor of Duan Wenjie, the director of the Dunhuang Research Institute at the time. After eight years of study in Dunhuang, he went to the United States to study under Professor Wu Hung at Harvard University, specializing in Chinese art history. During his studies, he organized [something] in Dunhuang." He organized a large-scale academic symposium, which was very influential. After graduation, he taught at several universities in the United States, during which time he returned to China to work part-time at Lanzhou University and Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. Later, he returned to Beijing and settled there, serving as a professor of art history at Capital Normal University and Beijing Foreign Studies University. I also invited him to lecture at Peking University and participate in academic seminars. He made positive contributions to the study of Dunhuang art and to Sino-foreign art exchanges. In addition to Dunhuang art, he later devoted himself to painting, absorbing traditional and western cultural elements, with a bold and unrestrained style full of imagination. He started in Dunhuang and ultimately returned to Dunhuang, fulfilling his artistic dream of soaring to the heavens.
Zhang Yuanlin, vice president of the Dunhuang Academy, said: "I am currently in Lanzhou. I learned of this terrible news yesterday afternoon. I am shocked, saddened, and regretful. Words cannot express my feelings."
Artist Gu Cunyan recalled that he met Ning Qiang many years ago because of their shared love for Dunhuang. "I was very surprised and shocked to hear the news, because as a scholar, this age is the best time to produce results. I often saw his location on social media being Xinjiang and Dunhuang. His love for the Western Regions culture is heartfelt, and he is also very straightforward. I remember many years ago when I visited the Tianti Mountain Grottoes in Wuwei during my trip to Hexi. Because it was very remote, Brother Ning Qiang, knowing that I wanted to learn more about it, called me many times, even though he was far away in Beijing, to specifically contact the grottoes management for me, and I was finally able to visit. It was very touching."
It is reported that Professor Ning Qiang, born in 1962, was one of the first batch of university students admitted to the Dunhuang Academy after 1976. After graduating from the Department of History at Sichuan University in June 1983, he went to work at the Dunhuang Academy, beginning his lifelong connection with the Mogao Grottoes. During his nearly eight years in Dunhuang, he studied under the renowned Dunhuang scholar Duan Wenjie and served as assistant to the director, deeply involved in the protection and research of the Dunhuang Grottoes. His academic journey can be seen as a microcosm of cultural exchange between East and West.
Regarding his connection with Dunhuang, he recalled in a previous interview with the Beijing News: "When I was studying at Sichuan University, I loved spending time in the library. Once, I found a book on the shelf that deeply moved me. The cover was beautiful; the upper half depicted a clear blue sky, and the lower half showed endless yellow sand. These two colors had a great visual impact on me. As I turned the pages, I found exquisite cave murals. I studied history and also really enjoyed artistic creation. When I saw this place, I thought to myself, this might be something I want to do for the rest of my life." So, before graduation, I wrote a letter to Duan Wenjie, the then director of the Dunhuang Cultural Relics Research Institute (the predecessor of the Dunhuang Academy), requesting to work in Dunhuang. Director Duan replied, telling me to go to Dunhuang and see for myself before making a decision. In his letter, he said, "If you can withstand the frost and heavy snow in winter, then stay." Later, I did stay. I formally signed a contract with Director Duan and became his apprentice. My first visit to the Mogao Grottoes, seeing the murals, was incredibly exciting; it was a truly personal, close-up experience of what an artistic miracle is.”
According to the report, when applying to work at the Dunhuang Cultural Relics Research Institute, Ning Qiang wrote a letter of self-recommendation to Professor Duan, and he also hid a small photo of himself in the envelope. In an interview, Ning Qiang recalled that he thought the artistic temperament of the young intellectual in the photo was very similar to that of Professor Duan and others when they were young. This little gesture, which was tinged with "selfish motives," did indeed leave a good impression on Professor Duan later.
The personal photo that Ning Qiang included in his self-recommendation letter back then
"At the time, I thought Dunhuang was just a temple, with some old men and women inside. Like Old Duan, I felt he was like an old monk in the temple," Ning Qiang said in an interview. He added that he carried the key to the cave doors and could enter and exit the caves at any time. To help the young people get started quickly, the older comrades led them through each cave, explaining everything in great detail. Several young people, along with several older comrades, systematically connected the library, canteen, dormitory, and caves.
"For me, taking the Dunhuang murals as an example, their influence on me is not technical, nor is it about teaching you how to imitate. This influence comes from the innovative artistic spirit I feel through the murals, which combines various elements into one," Ning Qiang once said.
Ningqiang at Maijishan
In 1991, he went to Harvard University to pursue a doctorate in art history, studying under art historian Wu Hung. After obtaining his doctorate, he taught at several prestigious universities in the United States, including Yale University, California State University, San Diego, the University of Michigan, and the College of Connecticut. In 2008, Ning Qiang returned to China as a "Changjiang Scholar" distinguished professor appointed by the Ministry of Education. He served successively as Dean of the School of Art at Lanzhou University and Professor at the Dunhuang Studies Institute. From 2012, he served as Professor at the School of Fine Arts and the School of History at Capital Normal University. In 2021, he transferred to Beijing Foreign Studies University, serving as Dean of the Institute of Art, Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor. At BFSU, he established the "International Art Communication" major, and has supervised 7 doctoral students and more than 20 master's students. He led the completion of the large-scale research projects "A Chronicle of Contemporary Art in Xinjiang" and "Interviews with Contemporary Artists in Xinjiang," totaling 12 volumes, 5.6 million words, and 2,450 illustrations. Ning Qiang has also made significant achievements in the field of Dunhuang studies. His magnum opus, *A Study of the Dunhuang Grottoes*, is a research achievement from his time as a "Changjiang Scholar" Chair Professor at Lanzhou University. The book systematically traces the discovery history, overall artistic structure, and artistic evolution of the Dunhuang Grottoes from the Northern Liang to the Yuan Dynasty. He has also authored several other monographs in Chinese and English, including *Dunhuang Buddhist Art*, *Dunhuang Grotto Art: A Study of Social History and Stylistics*, and *The Beauty of Chinese Grottoes: Exploring the Western Regions*.
He once presided over the major research project of the Ministry of Education in humanities and social sciences, "A Century of Dunhuang Studies", which systematically sorted out the academic history of Dunhuang.
Professor Ning Qiang's research methodology is unique, blending the strengths of Western art history's emphasis on socio-historical context with the stylistic analysis expertise of traditional Chinese artists. In his book, *Dunhuang Grottoes Art: A Study of Social History and Stylistics*, he demonstrates this cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research perspective.
His teaching places particular emphasis on "three combinations": combining the empirical spirit of grotto archaeology with the sensory experience of artistic aesthetics, leading students to conduct rigorous academic research and profound aesthetic understanding; combining in-depth interpretation of traditional art with innovative thinking on contemporary transformation, inspiring students to innovate in inheritance; and combining the transmission of professional knowledge with value guidance, subtly cultivating students' sense of cultural mission.
Ning Qiang embodies the dual identity of scholar and artist. He has long been committed to artistic creation, and in 2019, he successfully held a solo painting exhibition entitled "The Spirit of Dunhuang Art" in Lanzhou, showcasing his contemporary interpretation of Dunhuang art.
As an educator, Ning Qiang emphasizes cultivating students' international perspective and critical thinking. During his studies at Harvard University, he systematically reviewed the school's outstanding doctoral dissertations and books, summarizing the characteristics of excellent academic works—the ability to offer new perspectives on common issues and new interpretations of common materials.
In a lecture, he emphasized that academic research should first clarify the connotation and scope of the research object, and propose new academic definitions based on a reflection on existing academic concepts.
"Professor Ning's class was like a dialogue across time," a doctoral student recalled. "He always managed to bring back the brilliance of the mottled murals with vivid details. What's even more remarkable is that he taught us how to 'converse' with the ancients and how to read the warmth of history from every stroke of the brush."
Ning Qiang and students
Ning Qiang once said in a lecture that materials are neither new nor old; the key lies in how to understand and interpret them. This statement not only summarizes his academic methodology but also reflects his academic career.
Ning Qiang and his students in Kizil
"Dunhuang Art Research" course scene
Ning Qiang's "108 Forms of Dunhuang Flying Apsaras"
Ning Qiang's works
