MOGAO CAVES

Located 25 km south-east of Dunhuang (30 min per minibus on a road of sand which leads to a tiny oasis between two small mountains, Sanweishan and Mingshan, in a rocky and ravaged massif). Have a powerful flashlight to look at paints. We can rent it at the entrance, but they are heavy and not very powerful. The best time for outdoor photographs is the morning until 11 a. m. It is forbidden to photograph inside caves (incidentally, you will be asked to leave your bag at the entrance…). In the sandstone cliff of which Mount Mingshashan overlooks the bed of the Dachuan River, on 1,600 m, and in the center on five floors, the 492 historic caves of Mogao are opened. It is a veritable vertical labyrinth with its 45,000 m ² frescoes and 2,300 statues of Buddha in various styles. The sculptures are sometimes giant. Of the thousand caves, formerly inhabited by monks, which would have existed at the time of Empress Wu Zetian (684-705), only 492 remained. The oldest caves that are preserved come back in the middle of the Fifth Century, from the era of the Three Kingdoms. The largest and richest date from the Tang (618-907), the most recent are the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368). These caves represent the most remarkable of Buddhist art in China, constituting one of the summits of universal art. They are unique for the richness and beauty of sculptures, but especially paintings. Moreover, these works of art allow to follow the evolution of this Buddhist art center which was Mogao for almost ten centuries.

The historic value of these caves is so important that they are classified as UNESCO's heritage.