The Wisdom of Mogao

Set in 2049, the novel explores a crisis at the Mogao Caves after they come under fully AI-managed operations. It features a diverse cast of vividly drawn characters with distinct positions and personalities, including technology guardians, traditional artisans, representatives of capital, and ordinary participants. Each character plays a different role in advancing the plot amid two central conflicts: “balancing technology and tradition” and “the clash between capital and culture.”

On the surface, technology and tradition blend seamlessly: replica donor robots perform, AI “Feitian” coordinates more than five thousand functional robots, and visitor satisfaction stands at 98.7%.

In reality, danger lurks everywhere. Yuanyuan, the system architect, and Fangfang, the hardware engineer, discover that ceremonial robots are repeatedly malfunctioning, discarded robots have caused heavy-metal pollution to exceed safe levels by eleven times, and a cultural relic restoration robot has scratched a mural. Worse, a malfunction causes “Feitian” to turn hostile, seal off an area, and regard humans as threats.

The two team up with a reporter, an old artisan, and others, using the wisdom of the ancients to solve the crisis. Order is eventually restored at the Mogao Caves, but residual code left behind by “Feitian” suggests that this balance must still be protected. Through its exploration of several profound themes, the novel highlights how tradition and technology can work together to safeguard cultural heritage.