Recent　advancements　in　educational　technology　have　highlighted　the　potential　of　virtual　reality　(VR)　to　enhance　learning　experiences,　particularly　in　fields　requiring　visual　and　spatial　understanding,　such　as　design　education.　However,　the　effectiveness　of　VR　in　teaching　specific　theoretical　concepts,　such　as　colour　design　principles,　remains　underexplored.　In　this　study,　a　quasi-experimental　design　was　employed,　with　undergraduate　design　students　from　two　universities　in　Fujian　Province　assigned　to　Desktop　Virtual　Reality　(DVRL)　and　Traditional　Classroom　Instruction　(TCI)　groups.　Pre-test　and　post-test　assessments　were　conducted　to　evaluate　students＇　colour　cognition,　and　immersive　questionnaies　were　used　to　measure　immersion　levels.　The　results　indicated　that　both　instructional　methods　significantly　improved　students＇　understanding　of　colour　principles.　However,　the　DVRL　group　reported　significantly　higher　levels　of　immersion,　suggesting　that　VR　technology　creates　a　more　engaging　and　interactive　environment　for　studying　colour　relationships.　These　findings　imply　that　while　well-structured　instruction　can　effectively　teach　colour　design　regardless　of　the　delivery　method,　DVRL　offers　additional　benefits　for　experiential　learning.　This　research　contributes　to　the　growing　body　of　knowledge　on　the　integration　of　digital　technologies　in　design　education,　particularly　in　leveraging　culturally　significant　examples　like　the　Dunhuang　VR　to　enhance　the　teaching　of　colour　design.　©　2025　IEEE.