Dunhuang - the amazing Buddhist grottoes

  Dunhuang, Gansu, China
Monday, October 19, 2009

19th/20th October
Our choice of hotel in Dunhuang was superb. The location - away from the bustle of the small town - and right on the dunes - couldn't have been better. Every evening the four of us would meet on the terrace to enjoy a drink and watch the sunset. It was quite chilly, but a wonderful way to end the day.

Our first day in Dunhuang was very leisurely. We were all quite tired from the constant travel, so we decided to take it really easy. We spent the morning exploring the dunes.
We all decided against the camel rides but decided to go for the jeep safari across the dunes.
Quite good fun. The sand below the surface actually consists of tiny and heavy-ish bits of stone. The dunes don't really get pushed out of shape because of this. The surface sand just gets blown up by the wind eddies and settles in more or less the same place, so the dunes have kept their distinctive shapes for years. Dutti decided to climb to the top of the dunes to see if she could spot the Spring; but all she could see was more sand dunes!!


The rest of the day we just lazed and enjoyed being in such a nice hotel! Pintoo went for a massage.

21st October

We checked out and then spent the day at the famous Mogao Grottoes.

These ancient Buddhist shrines contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning 1000 years. Known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, the site was first carved out in 366AD with more caves being carved out of the cliffs until the 14th century.
 
Many of the shrines were paid for by travellers on the Silk Road, about to face the dangers of the journey ahead, or indeed as thanks for a safe return!

Dunhuang used to be very important during Silk Road times; but then Buddhism fell out of favour and gradually the grottoes virtually disappeared under the sands.

But there was always at least one 'guardian' through the ages looking after the shrines as best they could. In the early 20th century, Aurel Stein 'discovered' Dunhuang, and then he and  scholars from England, France, America, Sweden, Russia, and Japan gradually removed thousands and thousands of precious documents, frescoes and carvings by paying the guardian paltry sums, which he used for the upkeep of the site.


In 1943 a Dunhuang Arts Academy was established which began to restore the cave and protect and research its remaining contents.Among the items removed by Stein, is the Diamond Sutra, the first known printed book in the world - now in the British Museum.

Now, due to tourism and the general interest in the area, Dunhuang is again becoming an important place - with a new airport, a new casino [!] and a huge new station - all due to be completed in the next few years. So in a few years time....well, thank goodness we have missed out on those joys!

The grottoes were amazing, and I will never forget the most wonderful reclining Buddha, as well as the incredible frescoes - the colours still so bright, due to the dry conditions.
Photography is not allowed inside the grottoes, so the photos I have included come from:
http://www.chinamuseums.com/dunhuang_mogao.htm

Dinner was a great Mongolian Hotpot;

and then the last overnight train - to Turpan.