Attraction: Mogao Grottos  

Mogao Grottos have preserved many murals and graceful color statues. In 1900 about 50,000 items of cultural relics were found in the Scripture-Keeping Cave (Cave No.17) dating from the 4th to the 14th century. There are hand-written texts on Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, historic records, accounting books, letters and court records in Chinese, Tibetan, Sanskrit, Falu, Sute, Hetian and Huihe languages. Also found are serveral hundred pieces of painting and embroidery. They are of high values for the study on politics, economy, culture, military affairs and foreign relations in ancient China. But between 1907 and 1925 many of these treasures were stolen by foreign so-called scholars.   More than 50,000 items of cultural relics were found in the Scipture-Keeping Cave in 1900. Fragments of an embroidery piece dating back to the northern Wei Dynasty. "Guiding Bodhisattva",a painting on silk,preserved in the Scipture-Keeping Cave. Tang Dynasty pottery figurines unearthed in Dunhuang. Northern Liang Dynasty "Cross-Legged Maitreya Buddha" in Cave No.275 was the oldest color statue at Mogao, made during the Northern Liang Dynasty. "Musicians", a mural in Cave No.217, painted during the Northern Liang Dynasty. Early Tang Dynasty This mural from the early Tang Dynasty in Cave No.57 is done in a meticulous style. The face of the Bodhisttva is painted with" obscured painting" technique and the crown, tassels and arm band are painted with gold powder. Five-Dynasty Period "Northern Heavenly King", a mural from the Five-Dynasties Period in Cave No.146. The four Heavenly Kings were ofern used by painters to decorate cave ceilings.   Northern Wei Dynasty "The Life of King Sivi", a graphic picture from the Northern Wei Dynasty in Cave No.275. Western Wei Dynasty "Hunting", a Western Wei Dynasty mural in Cave No.249, depicts a hunting scene in the wooded mountains. Northern Zhou Dynasty A Northern Zhou Dynasty statue of a Bodhisattva(detail), 1.26 meters high, is carved in relief. "Groom and His Horse", a Northern Zhou Dynasty mural in Cave No. 290 Sui Dynasty "Life of Prince Satrina", a Sui Dynasty mural in Cave 419 depicts a hunting scene with his brothers. Flourishing Tang Dynasty "Teaching at illusion City", a mural from the early Tang Dynasty in Cave No.217 depicts Buddha changing into the form of a city to go on seeking for treasures. Middle Tang Dynasty "Farming in Rain", a mural from the best days of the Tang Dynasty in Cave No.23, depicts farming with simple but vivid lines about the life of peasants. Middle Tang Dynasty "Zhang Yichao's Outing" (detail), a representative of late Tang Dynasty murals in Cave No.156 depicts a ceremonial formation. With bright colors the painting presents a truthful secular life scene Five-Dynasty Period "Northern Heavenly King", a mural from the Five-Dynasties Period in Cave No.146. The four Heavenly Kings were ofern used by painters to decorate cave ceilings. Song Dynasty "Yutian Princess", a mural in Cave No.61 shows typical hairdress style of the Northern Song Dynasty. Western Xia Dynasty "Four Bodhisattvas", a mural in Cave No.328 are painted in life size and in extravagant clothes and graceful postures. This is one of the best preserved murals from the Western Xia Regime. Yuan Dynasty "1,000-Hands-1,000-Eyes Bodhisattva", a Yuan Dynasty mural in Cave No.3.