Mogao Caves
Also called the 'Caves of the Thousand Buddhas,' Mogao caves are a spectacular display of ancient Buddhist art that needs to be seen personally to fully appreciate them. This gem of the east is found in the desert of Dunhuang, northwestern China, an area that was a crossroad for caravans on the Silk Road linking China to the West. Now a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, Mogao Caves is a magnificent treasure that cannot be ignored. The caves are full of relics, scrolls, paintings, sculptures, murals, and artifacts of inestimable cultural and historic value.
Records show that pilgrims, scholars, and traders stopped here for provisions and rest on their way through the Silk Road. It was an oasis so they prayed and gave thanks here. The first caves were built about 1 mile along the river by Buddhist monks in the year 366. It is recorded that a group of monks saw an apparition they believed was Buddha and they were convinced it was sacred ground.
Mogao Caves took about 1000 years to build; it boasts about 492 cave-temples, wall paintings, and sculptures of Chinese, Western, and Indian influences spanning over centuries. Over 45,000 square meters of murals and 2000 painted sculptures from different dynasties cover the walls of these caves. Thousands of scrolls, embroidery, and other masterpieces are all available to explore for anyone visiting the Mogoa caves.
