Why We Love Dunhuang

Among all the mythical beasts in Dunhuang, the Chinese dragon, or loong, undoubtedly holds the top stop. Dunhuang not only has a diverse collection of different loong patterns, it's also the home to a very unique one that can hardly be found anywhere else. ]]>

The Dunhuang Night Market shines like a hidden gem amidst the dazzling culture and historical heritage of Dunhuang. What do locals in Dunhuang love to eat? Where can we find these special delicacies? What other interesting and enjoyable things are there to do and see?

The art treasures of Dunhuang have captivated generations of people. Among them is the “daughter of Dunhuang”, who has spent more than half a century researching and preserving the caves at the heart of the ancient Silk Road. Who is she? What's her indissoluble bond with Dunhuang?

How did people make wine over 1000 years ago? How did the ancient blacksmiths do their work? Yulin Cave 3 is an encyclopedia where you can find all the answers.

The murals of Yulin Cave 29 record a unique baldheaded hairstyle of the local males over 1000 years ago. What made the hairstyle so popular? And why was the cave called the “State Preceptor Cave”?

Constructed on two sharp cliffs facing each other, and covering a period of more than 1500 years, the Yulin Caves are the twins of the Mogao Caves. It's the only place in Dunhuang, where you can find an interethnic wedding being held in earthly heaven.

French Sinologist Paul Pelliot brought lots of precious Dunhuang Manuscripts back to France, among which, was a complicated lawsuit, that happened over 1,000 years ago, and which was recorded in detail.

Britain has the world largest collection of Dunhuang Manuscripts and other relics. What are some of the most amazing ones and what are the stories behind them? Who was the Sogdian woman who amazed world researchers more than 1,000 years later?

Why are the items found inside Dunhuang's Library Cave so precious? What are the treasures included in the Dunhuang Manuscripts? Why is Dunhuang also related to the history of world astronomy?

The Dunhuang Manuscripts constitute the largest repositories of religious, scientific, and literary texts detailing aspects of life in China and abroad during the medieval period. Among them, you can find the world's earliest printed book.

Among all the caves in the Dunhuang Mogao complex, Cave 465 is different in many ways. Why are there images of a male deity embracing a female deity inside Cave 465? What's the unique charm of this cave?

When Dunhuang ushered in the Song Dynasty, could it still copy the glories of the Tang Dynasty? How could a man save 10,000 dying fish in Cave 55?

Who is the Bodisatffa associated with wisdom? What can we learn from a huge map painting of a sacred mountain in China? Let's find the answers in Cave 61.

Why did the 12 Western astrological signs appear in the Dunhuang Mogao Cave 61 a thousand years ago? What are the stories behind the cave donors?

Dunhuang Mogao Cave 196, built in the Late Tang period, shows a fierce and magnificent competition of magical powers.

Cave 156 was constructed in Dunhuang in honor of a great general, who upheld the last glory of the fading Tang Dynasty.

Cave 17, otherwise known as the Library Cave, is perhaps, the most famous cave in Dunhuang. Why is there a vivid monk statue inside this cave? Who was he?

Guess who is the second most famous woman in the Tang Dynasty? Why is she blamed for triggering a major military rebellion that led to the decline of the Tang? And how did Cave 159, built in the Middle Tang, reflect the changing times?

Inside Dunhuang Mogao Cave 130, we can find the second largest Buddha statue in Dunhuang, the largest Apsara and Bodhisattva images, as well as a grand fashion show of the Tang Dynasty.

Nirvana is the ‘ultimate state of being' in Buddhism. Cave 148 of the Dunhuang Mogao complex is a special cave dedicated to this purpose, where it's possible to sense the feeling of Nirvana.

In Cave 103 of the Dunhuang Mogao complex, you can still find the long-lost landscape painting style of the Tang Dynasty, as well as a story about how to achieve long-term goals.

Inside the Buddhist world of Dunhuang, there is also a playground for children. Let's meet some kids who have special skills in Cave 79.

Although the Mogao Caves are located in the northern part of China, you can find pictured here poetic rural scenery which only belongs in the southern part of China. That's in Cave 23, another artistic cave built in the High Tang period.

The art of the Tang Dynasty reached its peak in the High Tang period. In this episode, we'll visit the most representative cave built in this period where you can have a ‘heart to heart' with those amazing, sculptured figures.

A non-Chinese figure was depicted on the wall of Dunhuang Cave 217. Who was he? Why was his name related to one of China's most famous Buddhist mountains?

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?