a crescent moon installation emerges from a chinese desert oasis for the mid-autumn festival

a half-moon installation rises from the gobi desert 

On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival in August 2022, ‘A full moon by the crescent spring’ by Weijun Lin illuminated an ancient oasis in the Gobi Desert with a celestial half-moon installation. Perched on the cusp of the Crescent Spring in Dunhuang, China, the project was a creative collaboration between five cross-media artists who were invited to encapsulate the spirit of the Chinese festival and preserve the ecological environment and culture of the city. Exuding a sense of serenity and delicacy across the expansive desert, the luminous installation took shape as a 5-meter wide, spray painted half-moon, symbolizing hope and prosperity. As visitors gathered at the scenic destination to celebrate the full moon overhead, the semi-spherical volume was reflected by the shallow spring, forming an illusion of a full moon emerging from the landscape.

the crescent moon in the evening | all images courtesy of Weijun Lin

weijun lin celebrates the chinese mid-autumn festival 

Located at the foot of Mingsha Mountain, Crescent Spring is treasured as a natural wonder of the Gobi Desert and an ancient landmark of Dunhuang. Completely encompassed by sand dunes and flanked by a historic pagoda temple, the fresh water lake naturally shaped as a crescent moon has been slowly disappearing over the years, facing risks of sand shifting and a decline in water depth.

In a governmental and cultural effort to conserve both the small lake and revitalize wider Dunhuang culture, Weijun Lin alongside a group of multimedia artists raises a half-moon installation along the edge of the spring. The installation not only pays homage to the wondrous shape of the body of water, but also the Mid-Autumn Festival. Also known as the Moon Festival, the celebration is marked by family reunions to enjoy sightings of the full moon, eat mooncakes, and light candles and lanterns. Coinciding with this significant cultural tradition, ‘A full moon by the crescent spring’ acts as a symbolic beacon of hope, prosperity and good fortune through its luminous lunar form.

Weijun Lin raises a 5 meter wide crescent moon along the edge of Crescent Spring

a beacon of light in the expansive desert

the lunar installation under construction

the project coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival

a pagoda temple and Crescent Spring amid the Gobi Desert

the moon installation was assembled in Beijing and transported to its site in Dunhuang

project info:

name: A full moon by the crescent spring
designer: Weijun Lin

location: Dunhuang, China

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions’ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom