Visit Dunhuang Mogao Caves · Untamed Treasures

Author: Zhang Yanmei
Author Country: China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: The Dunhuang Mogao Caves, located in the desert and situated at a strategic point along the Silk Road, were not only a trading hub between the East and West but also a meeting place for religion, culture, and knowledge. The 492 caves and grotto temples of Mogao are world-famous for their sculptures and murals, showcasing the Buddhist art that has endured for over a thousand years. Through the interplay of the rich natural landscapes and profound cultural heritage of the Mogao Caves, this book takes you on a journey through this desert art palace, allowing you to immerse yourself in the artistic styles of different eras from the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Yuan Dynasty over a thousand years. With vivid descriptions and exquisite images, it provides a deeper and more intuitive understanding of China's splendid and long-standing traditions in mural, architectural, and sculptural arts, as well as the Buddhist culture that has spread throughout China.
Excerpt: About ten kilometers east of Dunhuang City, turning south reveals the winding Sanwei Mountain rising in the Gobi Desert. Continuing for another ten kilometers, the left side is the desert, while the right side is a gentle desert stretching toward the Mingsha Mountain. Between the desert and the Gobi, a small river flows out, forming a small oasis on both banks. Behind the shade of the oasis, the ancient caves of Mogao are faintly visible. This mysterious and vibrant place is the Mogao Caves. Crossing the stone bridge over the Changquan River, an imposing arched gateway with the words "Treasures of the Stone Chamber" comes into view. Passing through this gateway, about thirty meters ahead, another ancient and elegant small gateway appears—this is the main entrance to the Mogao Caves. The Mogao Caves are carved into the cliffs facing north and south, stretching over more than 1,600 meters in length, with four levels connected by walkways. In the late Qing Dynasty, the walkways to the upper caves were damaged, making many upper caves inaccessible. The current walkways were rebuilt during a comprehensive reinforcement project in the 1960s.
The main cave complex of the Mogao Caves is in the Southern Area, with 492 existing caves. Since 1991, the Dunhuang Academy has conducted thorough cleanups of the caves in the Northern Area, which now has over 200 caves, but most lack murals or sculptures. The open caves are all in the Southern Area, where the caves are densely packed. To the north of this cave area lies the famous Library Cave (Cave 17), and to the south of it are the Tang Dynasty caves, with the middle section mostly consisting of Northern Dynasty and Sui Dynasty caves. To the south of the middle section, the magnificent Great Buddha Hall (Cave 96) can be seen, housing a 35-meter-tall Buddha, commonly known as the Northern Great Buddha. It stands in contrast to the Southern Great Buddha (Cave 130) in the southern section. Between the Northern and Southern Great Buddhas, the upper and middle levels of the caves are mostly from the Tang Dynasty, while the lower level contains large Five Dynasties caves. To the north and south of the Southern Great Buddha are two large Nirvana caves: Cave 148 (mid-Tang) and Cave 158 (late-Tang), each housing a famous 15-meter-long reclining Buddha.
Zen Caves: According to inscriptions from the Tang Dynasty at the Mogao Caves, in the second year of the Jianyuan era (366), a monk named Leqian traveled from the east and arrived at this place. While meditating here, he suddenly noticed ten thousand beams of golden light shining from the Sanwei Mountain across the river. This brilliant and radiant scene made him feel as if thousands of Buddhas were illuminating the area. Believing the place to be sacred, he carved a cave here and practiced Zen meditation inside. Soon after, a monk named Faliang came to the area and carved another cave near Leqian's. Gradually, more people came to carve caves and practice Zen meditation here, and the fame of the Mogao Caves grew.