php_ascii.php

<?php
//encoding a fancy emoji to ascii
$a = json_encode("💩"); //json_encode casts emoji string to readable ascii
var_dump($a);


//other way around
echo "\n\n<br/><br/>";

//based on the encoded variable
echo json_decode($a); 

//from scratch, mind the extra "" set
echo json_decode('"\ud83d\udca9"'); 

?>