NEW YORK, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition featuring a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Dazu Rock Carvings from China, opened in New York on Friday, marking the start of its U.S. tour.

Featuring high-precision replicas, digital imaging and immersive displays, the exhibition offers American audiences an opportunity to experience the artistic and cultural heritage of the Dazu Rock Carvings without traveling to China.

Xiong Zihua, deputy director of the Dazu Rock Carvings Research Institute, said in a video address that he hopes the exhibition, starting from New York, will promote mutual learning among civilizations and foster greater cross-cultural understanding.

Willa Ao, the exhibition's curator and director of the Memor Museum, said that while the Dazu Rock Carvings themselves cannot travel, the stories they embody can. "Digital technology allows this World Heritage Site to travel without moving a single stone," she said.

Located in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, the Dazu Rock Carvings date back to the early Tang Dynasty (618-907) and flourished during the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999, the site is renowned for its large-scale cliffside sculptures and the harmonious integration of Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian traditions.

The exhibition will run through Aug. 30 before being showcased in the western United States. ■