The Old Silk Road (Gan Su)

Dunhuang is situated in a rich oasis containing Crescent Lake and Mingsha Shan, (literally "Echoing-Sand Mountain"). It commands a strategic position at the crossroads of the ancient Southern Silk Route and the main road leading from India via Lhasa to Mongolia and Southern Siberia, as well as controlling the entrance to the narrow Hexi Corridor which led straight to the heart of the north Chinese plains and the ancient capitals of Chang'an (today known as Xi'an) and Luoyang

A number of Buddhist cave sites are located in the Dunhuang area, the most important of these is the Mogao Caves which is located 25km southwest of Dunhuang. There are 735 caves in Mogao, and the caves in Mogao are particularly noted for their Buddhist art as well as the hoard of manuscripts, the Dunhuang manuscripts, found hidden in a sealed-up cave.Numerous smaller Buddhist cave sites are located in the region, including the Western Thousand Buddha Caves, the Eastern Thousands Buddha Caves, and the Five Temple site. The Yulin Caves are located further east in Guazhou County.

The Magao Grottes, popularly known as the Thousand Buddhas Caves, were built on the eastern cliff of Mingsha Mountain. In 366 A.D. a monk named Yuezun had a vision of the Buddhas over the Sanwei Mountain opposite the cliff of the Mingsha Mountain, so the devout believer set to build the first cave on the cliff. Since then more and more caves have been excavated over a thousand year. The Grottes is the largest in the world and the best preserved treasure-house of Buddhist art, keeping 492 caves, 45,000 sqpare meters of murals, and about 3,000 painted statues.

Recommended Routes

Day1 Lanzhou

Day2 Jiayuguang Pass of Great Wall

Day3 Dunhuang-- Magao Grottes

Day4 Dunhuang-- Jade Gate Pass

Day5 Yadan Landform