Pilgrimage to Pureland: Art, Perception and the Wutai Mural VR Reconstruction

Virtual reality (VR) supports audiences to engage with cultural heritage proactively. We designed an easy-to-access and guided Pilgrimage To Pureland VR reconstruction of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes to offer the general public an accessible and engaging way to explore the Dunhuang murals. We put forward an immersive VR reconstruction paradigm that can efficiently convert complex 2D artwork into a VR environment. We reconstructed the Mt. Wutai pilgrimage mural in Cave 61, Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang, into an immersive VR environment and created a plot-based and interactive experience that offers users a more accessible solution to visit, understand and appreciate the complex religious, historical, and artistic value of Dunhuang murals. \textcolor{black}{Our system remarkably smoothed users' approaches to those elusive cultural heritages. Appropriate adaptation of plots and 3D VR transfer consistent with the original art style could enhance the accessibility of cultural heritages.