They say, "In one’s life, one must visit Dunhuang. To see the faith in Mogao Grottoes, the tenacity of Crescent Lake, the desolation of Yumen Pass where spring breezes never reach, and the glory of the once-mighty Tang Dynasty..."
Is Dunhuang beautiful? Is it worth a visit?
Anyone who has seen photos of Dunhuang will surely exclaim, "Stunning!" But if you ask why Dunhuang is so captivating, the answer lies in layers of stories waiting to be told.
1. Beauty in Its Name
The term "Dunhuang" first appeared in Records of the Grand Historian: Biography of the Great Yuezhi: "Once, the Yuezhi people dwelled between Dunhuang and the Qilian Mountains."
Ying Shao, a scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty, interpreted its literal meaning: "Dun means ‘grand’; Huang means ‘splendid’." The name embodies wishes for prosperity and grandeur, a promise of glory etched in time.
2. Beauty in Murals That Span a Millennium
The Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang are called "an art gallery hidden in the desert."
Over 1,000 years, more than 40,000 square meters of murals have survived here—treasures left by generations of anonymous masters.
Chang Shana, daughter of Chang Shuhong, the first director of the Dunhuang Academy, described them vividly:
"Vibrant patterns on the brackets of cave eaves from the Five Dynasties; pearl-embellished flying horse motifs on the ceiling of Sui Dynasty caves; figures with silk-like, fluid drapery reminiscent of Gu Kaizhi’s style; Tang Dynasty apsaras with robes billowing like wind, akin to Wu Daozi’s mastery; and gold-and-jade hues evoking Li Sixun’s brilliance... In the desert’s solitude, I pursued my first, unaccredited lessons in art."
Seeing is believing. Take the close-up of the reverse pipa dance in Cave 112: dynamic, graceful, a frozen moment of joy. Or the portrait of the Governor’s Wife as a donor (a copy) in Cave 130: elegant, lifelike, a window into Tang Dynasty aesthetics. Even the "grape" patterns on the ceiling’s caisson—grapes and pomegranates, exotic fruits from the Western Regions, symbolized abundance and good fortune in ancient times.
Countless other murals, with fluid lines and bold colors, dazzle the eye. Once you gaze upon them, the world fades away.
3. Beauty in Lifelike Painted Sculptures
Let’s start with one of Mogao’s most famous painted sculptures.
At first sight, its allure is indescribable: broad, sturdy shoulders, a rounded face—embodying the Tang ideal of plump beauty. The bodhisattva tilts its head, with head, chest, and hips forming a gentle S-curve, a posture of subtle grace.
Then there’s the 15-meter-long Reclining Buddha in Mogao, the largest of its kind. Its serene face looks as if in peaceful slumber.
In total, Mogao preserves over 2,000 painted sculptures and 1,000 reliefs from ten dynasties. No other site in the world boasts such a vast, long-standing collection of ancient sculptures, each a vivid bridge connecting us to the thoughts and souls of our ancestors.
4. Beauty in the Famous "Huxuan Dance"
Dunhuang holds history frozen in stone, but also pulses with living rhythm.
Mogao’s murals teem with musical and dance scenes, none more iconic than the Huxuan Dance—a whirling, dynamic performance beloved in ancient times.
The Tang poet Bai Juyi wrote in The Huxuan Dancer: "Huxuan dancer, Huxuan dancer / Her heart follows the strings, her hands the drums / At the first beat, both sleeves rise." Dancers spun rapidly on a small carpet, their robes fluttering, never stepping beyond its edges. In the Tang Dynasty, this dance was all the rage, with everyone eager to learn.
5. Beauty in Timeless Tales
Dunhuang’s murals are more than art—they’re vivid storytellers.
On the west wall of Cave 257, the Jataka Tale of the Nine-Colored Deer may spark childhood memories.
Yes, the beloved Chinese animation The Nine-Colored Deer (produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio) is adapted from this mural.
As one of Mogao’s most perfect "comic-strip" jataka tales, it’s read from both ends toward the center:
On the far left, the deer rescues a drowning man, who swears secrecy. On the far right, a queen dreams of the deer, craving its hide. The story unfolds, culminating in the center: the deer confronts the king, who, ashamed, decrees the deer shall never be harmed.
6. Beauty in Yumen Pass, Mingsha Mountain, and Crescent Lake
Dunhuang’s depth lies not just in history, but in its landscapes.
Yumen Pass, once a witness to countless battles, now eroded by sand, still stirs the soul. Standing on its scorching sands, watching the scenery and listening to the wind, one feels the weight of time—a beauty forged by ages.
Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake, hailed as "a wonder of the frontier," offer a unique northwestern romance: sand singing in the wind, a moonlit lake untainted by dust.
7. Beauty in Golden Poplar Forests
Autumn is Dunhuang’s most stunning season. Visitors never forget the golden poplar forests.
As the wind blows, the leaves rustle—bold, radiant, as if engaged in a grand dialogue with the quiet, ancient relics, recounting thousands of years of desert stories.
8. Beauty as a "Jewel of the Silk Road"
Dunhuang is a pearl on the Silk Road.
As a vital hub, it once teemed with merchants and monks from across Eurasia. Art and civilizations from Central China, India, Greece, and Persia converged here over millennia, creating a rich, blended culture unique to Dunhuang.
Take the mural of Zhang Qian’s Mission to the Western Regions in Cave 323: a vivid record of this cultural exchange.
9. Beauty in Its Flavors
A common misconception: Dunhuang is just history and desert.
But murals and ancient texts reveal a vibrant culinary scene. A trip to Dunhuang must include a night at the food market!
Try donkey meat with yellow noodles—each chewy strand coated in rich sauce. Or sour 浆水面 (sour noodle soup), savory mutton soup with vermicelli, hearty braised lamb with pancakes, and crispy roasted whole lamb—a must-taste.
10. Beauty in Its Guardians
People come and go, leaving joy and sorrow in their wake. But some arrived and never left, binding their lives to Dunhuang.
On a wall of the Dunhuang Academy, these words are inscribed: "History is fragile—it is written on paper, painted on walls. Yet history is strong, for there are always those who guard its truth, hoping it will never fade."
From Chang Shuhong and Li Chengxian to Fan Jinshi, and now Zhao Shengliang, the "fifth-generation leader" of the academy—a long list of guardians, devoting their youth to old age, rooted in the wilderness.
We must also remember the pain: two-thirds of Dunhuang’s treasures lost overseas; the past shame of "Dunhuang is in China, but Dunhuang studies are abroad"; the sorrow that Mogao, eroded by sand, may one day become "a legend in the dust."
Dunhuang’s beauty is too profound for words. Visit it, love it, protect it. For here, beauty and history are within our grasp.
