Mogao
Grottoes is commonly known as the "Thousand-Buddha Caves" or Mogao Caves. It is
situated on the cliff of Mingsha (Singing Sand) mountain, some 25 kilometers southeast of
Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. Stretching 1,600 meters from south to north. Mogao Grottoes
is a Buddhist treasure house with paintings and murals from 1,600 years ago. The carving
work began in 366 AD. Amidst of natural erosion and human destruction, 492 caves have
survived. Within those caves, Buddhist murals cover a total wall space of some 45,000
square meters and the number of existing painted clay sculptures is 2,415. There are also
five surviving timber structures whose history dates back to the Tang (618-907) and Song
(960-1279) Dynasties. A gigantic, elegant palace of art, the whole grotto complex is
regarded as the world's largest and best-preserved treasure house of Buddhist scriptures,
murals, and architectural designs. In 1987, UNESCO entered Mogao Grottoes in its List
of World Heritage. ¡¡ |
