The Mogao Grottoes. Photo: VCG

The Dunhuang Academy China and Peking University have signed an agreement to establish a research center for Dunhuang studies, aiming to nurture more high-level research talent in the area.

Rong Xinjiang, a professor with Peking University, and Zhao Shengliang, head of the Dunhuang Academy, will be the directors of the new center.

With a focus on the documents of Dunhuang and grottoes art, Dunhuang studies is an emerging interdisciplinary subject that covers areas such as history, geography, archeology and art.

The Dunhuang Academy, located in Northwest China's Gansu Province, administers the Mogao Grottoes, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site that showcases the cultural integration and mutual learning among different civilizations along the ancient Silk Road.

The Mogao Grottoes are home to a priceless collection of Buddhist artworks - more than 2,000 colored sculptures and 45,000 square meters of murals - in 735 caves carved along a cliff by ancient worshippers.

Peking University is a pioneer of Dunhuang studies in China, with scholars of its predecessor beginning research in the area in the early 20th century.