Why We Love Dunhuang

Among all the Bodhisattva images in Dunhuang, Cave 57 has the most beautiful one. Let’s meet the Venus of the East!

Cave 96 is an iconic building in Dunhuang. It not only has the largest statue in Dunhuang, but it is also related to the only female emperor in Chinese history.

Cave 323 tells stories of how Buddhism came to China, and the story was related to one of the most famous diplomats in ancient China.

History generally regards the Tang Dynasty, as a high point of Chinese civilization. Which cave in Dunhuang best represents the changing art style of this golden age?

The Sui Dynasty united China but it only lasted for 37 years. However, more than 100 caves were built in Dunhuang during this period. What caused the prosperity in Dunhuang and what can we find in the caves built during this period?

The Northern Zhou Dynasty was not a period in favour of Buddhism in China, but Cave 428 built during this time has the largest number of donor images in the Dunhuang Mogao complex. Its murals also tell one of the most well-known Buddhist stories of self-sacrifice.

Dunhuang Mogao Cave 249 is a grand gathering of magical animals and deities from Chinese mythology, as well as some from other cultures. Who are they and why are they there?

With its design, rich content, religious objects, aesthetic ideals, and art form, Cave 285 is considered one of the most special in Dunhuang. It also provides great evidence for the time of construction of the cave.

What makes Cave 285 one of the most special ones in Dunhuang? Why it is the earliest-dated cave in Dunhuang? and what do the sun god and moon god look like in ancient China?

Among all the Buddha statues in the Mogao Grottoes, which one has gained fame as the “Mona Lisa of the East” with his attractive and mysterious smile?

On the mural paintings of Cave 257, you can find one of the most famous mythical creatures in china, the Nine-Colored Deer. What’s the story of this magic deer?

Why would a prince give up the secular world and pursue a religious life? Why would a king offer his flesh to save a dove? The wall paintings of Dunhuang Mogao Cave 275 have some interesting Buddhist stories to tell.

The earliest caves in Dunhuang were constructed about 1,600 years ago. What do the caves look like? How could ancient Chinese sculptors tackle the problem of depicting lions without ever having seen a real one?

In the modern Olympic Games, equestrian is the only category of sport where athletes work with animals. The relation between humans and horses were also vividly depicted in the Dunhuang murals a thousand year ago. Why is there so much horse-related content in Dunhuang?

How did the Dunhuang people live more than a thousand years ago? What was their attitude towards life and death? Their happiness and struggles have all been recorded inside the Caves.

The Dunhuang dance has become a unique genre of traditional Chinese dance. Originating from the cave murals, what’s the charm of Dunhuang dance? Why does the ancient art form still provide inspiration for modern artists?

If you want to find some of the most beautiful flying figures in Dunhuang, you have to find the images of Feitian. They are the symbol of the Mogao Grottoes. Why?

The murals of Dunhuang are of unique research and artistic value. They are seen as the ‘gene bank’ of Chinese paintings and have served as sources of inspiration for many modern designers as well. Let’s take a look at this splendid art form in Dunhuang.

Among the over 2000 Buddha statues in the Dunhuang Mogao Caves, the tallest one is over 35 meters tall. Where is this Buddha statue located? How is it related to the only female monarch in the history of China ?

In Mogao Caves are numerous mural paintings depicting the moon gods or goddesses. Why would there be a jade rabbit and a toad in a painting of the moon? What do these paintings say about ancient people’s admiration for the moon? Let's find out the answer on this Mid-Autumn Festival.

Colored sculptures are the main features of the Dunhuang Grottoes. They have been preserved for more than a thousand years. Frozen in time, they are the essence of Dunhuang art, which showcases the rare and excellent skills of local craftsmen.

There are more than 800 caves built on the cliffs in Dunhuang. Why were they built? Technically how were the caves built in the middle of a desert? What are the functions of different caves?

Why does Dunhuang continue to attract people, past and present, from all around the world? What makes Dunhuang a land of miracles?

Dunhuang has experienced many ups and downs through its long history, but the value of Dunhuang remained because it has always had its own guardians.

Inside the Library Cave of Dunhuang Mogao Caves, there were over 50,000 cultural relics dating back to the late 4th to the 11th centuries. But now the cave is empty. What happened?